Make A Wish, Toby
by Otterbot
Summary: All Toby wanted was to visit his sister in the Underground. Now, he's got an adventure that was much more than he bargained for!
1. Prologue

**A/N:** Wow, I'm back! :P This is a story I've been working on for ages, and as of yet it's still incomplete, but I just couldn't wait any longer to post a couple of chapters. For those of you who have come since I last wrote a story, this is a sequel to a line of stories I wrote ages ago. For the best effect, I suggest you read "Say The Words" and "When Words Aren't Enough"...in addition to the stories I collaborated on with my friend (you can find her stories under the pen name SkItZoFrEaK). Yes, it's a lot to read! X_X I think you'll be able to understand this without the aid of those stories, but you'll appreciate some of the minor details a lot more if you DO read them! :) I'm working on rewriting STW and WWAE, because I wrote them so long ago and am not really all that satisfied with them anymore. Isn't that the way things go?? Anyway, I really hope you like this story. I've tried my best to make it interesting! ;)  
  
**Disclaimer:** This is so common that nobody reads these anymore. ;) Nonetheless, not a single one of the characters appearing in this chapter belongs to me. Jareth, Sarah, Toby, and the whole 'Labyrinth' crew belong to Jim Henson and all of those folks. This is a nonprofit organization. :P  
  


* * *

  
  
**Prologue**  
  
_I want a real adventure.  
  
Not that The Nightmares weren't scary or anything, but I mean, I didn't even really get to do anything! The fight was over before anything exciting happened!  
  
And besides, that was years ago.  
  
Sarah gets to have adventures every day…she even LIVES with goblins 'n stuff! And what do I get? "Toby, clean your room!" "Toby, eat your vegetables!" "Toby, if I hear you've stuffed that boy in his locker one more time…" I mean, come on! What's a guy supposed to do with his life after he's fought monsters? Eat his vegetables?? Yeah, right.  
  
I keep asking Sarah if I can come live with her, but she always says no. Actually, it's her husband, that Jareth guy. You'd think with the way he kidnapped me and all that he'd WANT me to stay, but he's always like, "No, stay here, you're annoying." Okay, I guess he's never really said THAT, but he might as well! I've heard him talking to Sarah when he thinks I can't hear. Jerk. He might live in a cool place, but I don't like him at all._  
"Toby?"  
  
Giving a startled twitch, Toby scrambled frantically to hide the lurid green notebook set wide open on his desk. Nobody knew that he kept a journal -- it was too close to being a diary, and if anyone knew that Toby Williams wrote in a _diary_ he'd never get over the shame of it. But a person had to get his feelings out _somehow_, didn't he? Sarah would understand. Of course, Sarah was too far away to talk to…  
  
"Toby, are you alright in there?"  
  
Karen always got worried if her son didn't answer her immediately after her summons. Usually, she just barged right into the room, but Toby had had the presence of mind to turn the lock before pulling out his journal. The _last_ person he wanted to discover his secret was his own mother.  
  
"Yeah Mom, I'm fine," he called back. After making sure that no one could possibly find the notebook, he stood up and went to unlock the door. Karen Williams stood tall and forbidding in the hallway beyond.  
  
"Why did you have your door locked?" she demanded. "I was afraid you'd hanged yourself. With the way kids are nowadays…"  
  
Toby scowled in irritation. "Mom, I'm not gonna _kill_ myself, okay? Yeesh!"  
  
"Well, I know you've been acting rather strangely lately, and you won't tell me what's wrong, so I worry…"  
  
She _always_ worried. If Toby came home later than he should, she worried that he'd been kidnapped (it was a good thing she hadn't been home that night when Jareth took him). If he scratched himself while outside playing, she worried that he might've broken a bone or gotten some sort of exotic and incurable infection. All this worrying alone was enough to make Toby go crazy, and she wondered why he wouldn't tell her what was wrong? _Not that she'd believe me anyway,_ he thought, _and besides, Sarah made me promise to never tell._  
  
"Anyway," Karen continued, "dinner's almost ready, so wash up and come downstairs, okay?"  
  
"Yup." Toby slid past his mother and walked down the hall toward the bathroom. Not even two minutes later, the doorbell rang.  
  
"Sarah!" Toby heard his father exclaim. "How good to see you!"  
  
Then came his mother's voice. "Sarah! You didn't even tell us you were coming! I'd have cleaned up the house, and set another place for dinner…!"  
  
That was all Toby heard before he was barreling down the stairs. Once at the bottom, he hurled himself at his sister and hugged her. "Hi, Sarah!"  
  
"Hello, Toby," Sarah laughed, returning the embrace. "How are you?"  
  
They began walking to the kitchen as Toby regaled his sister with tales of his school adventures. Karen rolled her eyes and grimaced at some of the stories, but Sarah laughed at every one. That was another reason why Toby liked his sister so much; she always enjoyed hearing his stories. His father always listened with tolerant attentiveness, but it was obvious he wasn't really interested. Karen never even stayed silent long enough to let Toby finish before she began her scolding. And half of the things that he said weren't true anyway!  
  
Somehow, Toby had inherited his older half-sister's taste for theatrics. He didn't love the theatre as she did, but if he had, he would have made a terrific actor. His stories were often exaggerated, true, but he put so much movement and emotion into each of them that one couldn't help being drawn into the tale. And he was still young; many of his older relatives guessed that he'd be an actor eventually, if he kept up his storytelling habits.  
  
With Karen around, the possibility was very slim. "That will be enough," she said at last, in that tone of voice that meant an end to all fun. Toby trailed off glumly and flopped down in his seat at the dinner table, and Sarah smiled at him sympathetically. She was the only one who understood…  
  


* * * *

  
  
"Toby, please don't start that again."  
  
Okay, maybe she really _didn't_ understand after all.  
  
"C'mon, Sarah!" he whined. "You hardly visit at all anymore! And I haven't visited you in like…YEARS! Why'd you come tonight, anyway?"  
  
"Because I missed you and felt like seeing you. And it's been _two_ years, if that," Sarah corrected him. "If you want to visit the Underground so much, all you have to do is wish for it. Remember how you got there the last time?"  
  
"Yeah, and I fell down in that hole," Toby retorted. "If Hoggish, or whatever his name was, hadn't found me…I could've _died!_"  
  
His sister laughed, eyes shining with amusement. Toby wasn't sure how she could be amused when _he_ was feeling desperate. "I'm sorry," she said after several moments. "I know you're getting frustrated -- Karen's getting worse with her worrying, I think." Toby gave an emphatic nod to that statement. "I promise you, any time you decide to come for a visit, we'll welcome you openly."  
  
"Why can't I come _now?_" Toby persisted. Sarah sighed.  
  
"Because there's a lot going on, and it wouldn't be the best time to have visitors." As though hearing some message that was only for her ears, Sarah stood up and smiled apologetically at her brother. "I have to go now," she announced. "Tell Dad and Karen I said bye, okay?"  
  
"Yeah," Toby replied sullenly. "See ya later, Sarah."  
  
Part of him wanted to just walk out of his room and leave Sarah to disappear on her own, but he always loved watching her transport herself back to the Underground. Plucking a smooth crystal sphere from thin air, she tossed it up above her head. The crystal enlarged rapidly until it was big enough to fit her inside, and as it floated back down to the ground, light as a bubble, it surrounded her. Then both crystal and Sarah disappeared from the room.  
  
After a few moments, Toby pushed himself up from his chair and went to his parents' room to tell them that Sarah had left. Karen, no doubt, would be upset at the abrupt departure…she'd probably start ranting about manners and etiquette and all sorts of other things that Toby really just didn't care about. As he approached the door to their room, though, he discovered that his mother was already talking about those things.  
  
"Robert, you know I love seeing Sarah just as much as you do, but this showing up unannounced has got to stop! What if she comes at an inopportune time? And how can she afford to travel back and forth from _England_ so much?" Robert Williams gave an answer that was too low to hear, and then Karen's shrill voice continued, "Just showing up on someone's doorstep is rude! Imagine what sort of manners she's teaching Toby by doing that! I have to say that I wish the same thing would happen to her, just one time. _Then_ maybe she'd understand why I always get so impatient with her!"  
  
Slowly, a bright and devious smile began to form on Toby's face. It was rude to just show up at a person's house unannounced? And his mother wanted Sarah to get a taste of her own medicine? That could easily happen…and he knew for a fact that Sarah was going to be busy. Hadn't she said so herself?  
  
Racing back to his room, Toby shut the door and turned the lock once more. All he had to do was wish…Well, hopefully things would turn out the way he planned this time! He flopped down on his bed and squeezed his eyes shut.  
  
"I wish…I wish I could show up right on Sarah's front doorstep, like Mom said! I wish, I wish, I--"  
  
The floor -- and everything else, for that matter -- disappeared from around him. Toby remembered this part from the last time he'd wished himself to the Underground. Not that it was any less scary than it had been before (after all, he _was_ falling through space), but he didn't panic as he had the first time. Things were going just as they were supposed to, and soon he'd be grinning at Sarah and Jareth's shocked faces…  
  
Had he not found himself landing hard in a place that was totally foreign to him. 


	2. Lessons Learned

**A/N:** A highly-recognizable character shows up in this chapter. I think you'll know who he is once you meet him. ;)  
  
**Disclaimer:** Jareth, Sarah, Toby, and the whole 'Labyrinth' crew belong to Jim Henson and all of those folks. Ti belongs to me...as does my description of the land...if one can copyright those things. ;)  
  


* * *

  
  
**Chapter One**  
  
"What the…?" Toby trailed off in confusion, picking himself off the ground and turning in circles. None of the landscape looked familiar…and he considered himself something of an expert when it came to the Labyrinth. No, this place -- wherever it was -- was too green, and pleasant, and…and…different!  
  
Had it not been for the thick carpet of grass beneath him, Toby would have _almost_ thought himself to be in the part of the Labyrinth comprised of tall hedges. Forming a complete circle around him, the wall of shrubbery stood at least ten feet tall. The branches were twisted so tightly together, and the leaves were so thick, that no matter how much he tried he couldn't even _see_ through the wall. Trying to find a passageway would prove even less feasible.  
  
Standing in the exact center of this mysterious circle was an elaborate stone fountain, perhaps six feet in diameter and seven or eight feet tall. Water splashed gracefully out of the mouths of stone serpents; out of the pitchers of young maidens; and at the very top, water spurted forth from the mouth of a magnificent winged bird. After giving up on his quest to exit the hedged-in circle, Toby spent the longest amount of time trying to figure out what sort of bird was carved out of the fountain's stone. Its wings spanned the breadth of the fountain's base, each one so intricately detailed that he could see individual feathers. The eyes were glittering rubies, each one catching stray beams of sunlight and refracting them a hundred times. It was like no bird Toby had ever seen before, and yet…  
  
"'Tis the most lovely depiction of a phoenix, is it not?" inquired a cheerful voice. Toby yelped in surprise and spun around.  
  
"Who're you?" he demanded breathlessly. "And how'd you get in here?"  
  
"Why, through that entrance, there," responded the newcomer. He was a very short little man, with a sharply angled face and eyes that fairly gleamed with mischief. Currently, he was pointing toward an open space where the hedges had parted. Toby gaped in disbelief, and the little man chuckled. "It only requires a few soft words and a gentle stroke to the leaves, and a door will be created. Quite clever, wouldn't you say?" Dumbfounded, Toby could only nod, and so the little creature continued talking. "As for your former question, I am none other than Robin Goodfellow."  
  
"Oh." A pause. "So anyway, Mr. Goodfellow, am I in the Labyrinth?"  
  
For some strange reason, Robin Goodfellow seemed to be put out that Toby didn't recognize him. For several moments he just hovered there in midair, frowning unpleasantly, but eventually the sly smile came back. "A labyrinth this is, yes. However, this is _not_ the labyrinth of which I believe you are speaking. _That_ labyrinth is quite some distance from here."  
  
Toby let out a yell of frustration. "It _never_ works for me!" he cried. "The first time I wished, I ended up in some kinda black hole, and now I'm miles and miles away! I'd rather be in the hole again! At least _then_ I could find my way out!"  
  
"Young man, it does no good to be angry!" Robin admonished in that same cheerful voice. "In a sense you _have_ landed on a front doorstep. Welcome to the kingdom of King Oberon and Queen Titania."  
  
"This wasn't the 'front doorstep' I was thinking of," Toby grumbled. "Mr. Goodfellow, can we _please_ get out of here? I need to find Sarah. _Again._"  
  
"Ah, yes, the beautiful mortal queen of the Underground!"  
  
"I…guess so…"  
  
"Your sister is _not_ the queen, then?"  
  
"Well, yeah, she's the Goblin Queen or something."  
  
"Queen Sarah, beloved wife of Jareth!"  
  
"Yeah, that's what I said." Toby glowered.  
  
"No, you didn't." Puck cackled. "Oh, alright, I can see I'm testing your patience! Follow me, and I'll lead you out of here! And by the by, please call me Puck." Another expectant pause followed, but Toby gave almost as much of a reaction as before. However, _some_ realization seemed to dawn on him. He smiled crookedly.  
  
"Hey yeah, I think I heard of you before. You're some faerie guy that Sarah used to talk about when she was in school. 'Oh, you would _never_ believe what we're reading in English class! A Midnight Summer Dream! And there are _faeries_ in it!'"  
  
Puck did not seem amused by Toby's jest at all, despite the false soprano that usually had people in stitches. Was the little man related to Karen? "I will forget you said that, Toby."  
  
"Hey, how'd you know my name?"  
  
Expression darkening into a smirk, Puck stopped moving and turned to face his traveling companion. "'Oh, I wish you could all meet my brother Toby! He's the sweetest, most lovable boy in the whole world!'" He started walking -- or rather, floating -- again.  
  
_What's _his_ problem?_ Toby wondered, rolling his eyes at the man's back. Aloud, he asked, "So where are we going?" After escaping the circle of hedges, he looked around in bewilderment. "And I thought you said this was a labyrinth! So where're the mazes?"  
  
"You do not resemble your sister at all," Puck stated, once again turning to face Toby. "Within a labyrinth, one could become lost, correct?" Toby nodded slowly, wondering where this was going. "Becoming lost does not have to be as negative as it sounds. Do you not get lost in daydreams? Or wish you could be lost from the world for a time?"  
  
"Yeah, but that's not the same! If you're in a labyrinth, you get lost and can't find your way out!"  
  
"Everyone needs to lose themselves once in awhile. It helps keep their sanity intact." The fae chuckled softly to himself. "Some, of course, would say that we fae are the very antithesis of sane, but we need our escapes all the same." He smiled at Toby. "You and I are somewhat alike, I think -- despite your woeful lack of imagination. I've seen some of your little escapades…in fact, I like to think I may have influenced some of them."  
  
"Yeah, right."  
  
It was quickly becoming obvious that Puck was growing irritated with his charge, no matter _what_ he'd just said about them being alike. Toby had to admit that he wasn't too fond of the little man, either. He didn't want to hear riddles, he wanted a straight answer: how could he get to Sarah?  
  
They passed through a small forest (if it could be called that), following a delicate stream that ran through the cluster of willowy trees. The stream looked bright and clean, its water sparkling in rays of sunlight that came through the leafy canopy above. Not a sign of algae or other impurities marred the perfect white rocks that comprised the streambed; it seemed unnatural for something this pristine to be out in the middle of nowhere. Suddenly thirsty, Toby waded through the mass of colorful flowers lining the bank and kneeled to drink. He'd gotten as far as cupping his hands in the sparkling water when Puck was suddenly there, hauling him back.  
  
"Have you not heard stories of our world?" the fae demanded incredulously. Toby shook his head in answer. "Much as my less generous side would have loved to see your lips touch that water, my more sensible half realizes how much trouble I would be in with your sister if I allowed it. Toby, the land of the fae is every bit as loving of mischief and trickery as our Underground counterpart. However, there is a darker and more seductive side to our magic. Whereas Jareth and his goblins keep the land populated by taking unwanted infants, we bring others in with more subtle methods. Are you starting to understand?"  
  
"N…Not really," Toby offered hesitantly. He glanced back at the stream, paused to watch a couple of tiny flower sprites dance on nearby blossoms, and then turned once more to his diminutive guide.  
  
"We are not all as genuine and kind as you might wish us. Oh, we're not the Unseelie Court -- we _are_, by nature, generally benign -- but nonetheless there's not a one of us who doesn't like a good intrigue. We draw mortals in with any number of methods: dancing, music, beauty…However, we also love to tempt your kind with food. And drink." He nodded toward the stream. "Anything that you eat _or_ drink in this realm, Toby, makes certain your continued existence here. You will be bewitched; you will never wish to return to your own home. And mortals rarely do very well here in this land of magic."  
  
"But Sarah is fine here," Toby argued. He seemed to have completely missed the obvious point of Puck's admonition.  
  
"Sarah is a different example altogether," Puck replied. "The Underground is, more or less, the same world as ours. However, there are a few subtle differences that make it more habitable for mortals than this realm. Nonetheless, it--"  
  
"Hey, wait a minute!" Toby shot to his feet, blue eyes wide. "You said I can't eat or drink anything here? What'm I supposed to do? Starve?"  
  
The familiar sly grin came back to Puck's face. "'Twould appear so, my young friend! But before you waste away altogether, why don't we see King Oberon? I'm sure he can help you on your quest."  
  
Scowling, Toby studied the impish man for a moment. "I'll find him myself," he snapped at last. Puck laughed loudly.  
  
"Oh, how I'd love to see you try!"  
  
"Whaddoyou mean?"  
  
"Do you know what a 'glamour' is? No, of course you wouldn't. A glamour is a spell, more or less. It hides the true nature of an object and instead makes it appear more desirable. Or less desirable, depending upon the situation."  
  
"I get it!" Toby exclaimed. "So what, is the castle disguised or somethin'?"  
  
"You're not quite as dim as I once feared you to be!" Puck crowed. "Yes, the castle is hidden by a glamour -- or a disguise, as you suggested -- which is why you would never be able to find it. As it so happens, we're standing right in front of the castle now!"  
  
Disbelievingly, Toby looked carefully at his surroundings. They'd just exited the small grove of trees and stood now in a clearing of wildflowers. The stream continued on its meandering way…but after a moment, Toby realized that the body of water turned at a sharp and unnatural angle, as if going around something. Puck noticed the expression of realization that formed on the youth's face and smiled broadly.  
  
"You _are_ learning! I suppose you can see where the castle would be, were it not surrounded by a spell?" Toby nodded eagerly, and with a laugh, Puck once again began leading him toward the royal home of King Oberon and Queen Titania. After crossing the stream, the party paused for a moment and Puck turned to face the open field, giving a grand sweep of his arm. Suddenly, a castle appeared before Toby's eyes, the like of which he'd never seen before.  
  
Spires and turrets rose into the sky, sparkling in the sunlight as if they'd been covered with diamond dust. In fact, all the walls of the castle seemed to glimmer. It looked like a castle from straight out of a fairy tale…or perhaps something he'd seen once at Disney World. However, nothing in the mortal realm could compare to the awesome sight of this fae structure. It appeared so frail that it could have been made out of spun sugar, and yet Toby was sure that it was well able to protect its inhabitants from any sort of attack.  
  
As if to affirm his thoughts, his sharp eyes caught sight of something he'd missed before in his initial awestruck state. All along the walls of the castle proper were stationed guards, their lithe forms garbed to blend in with the gray stone. Though Toby and Puck were by no means a danger to the king and queen, the guards still stood tense and alert, ready for any surprise. Puck chuckled softly at his charge's wondering gaze, then led the youth toward the castle's entrance.  
  
Three minutes later, Toby stopped in perplexed frustration. "Why aren't we getting any closer?" he demanded, gesturing to the twenty feet before them that hadn't shortened at all, despite how long they'd walked. Puck was already looking irritated, though for once the expression wasn't directed at Toby.  
  
"Show yourself, Ti!" the small man shouted, all traces of amusement gone from his face. It was a measure of how unpredictable the faerie folk's temperament could be if even such a jovial fellow as Puck could turn dangerously irritable within moments. Toby looked around anxiously, waiting for this 'Ti' to appear. A second later, she did.  
  
What he'd been expecting to see was something similar to the flower sprites, or possibly even someone of Puck's short stature. What met his gaze was a voluptuous, golden-haired beauty who stood even taller than him. Silvery gray eyes sparkled with amusement at the two men before her, but when she turned to look specifically at Puck, her lips curved in a bright grin.  
  
"You act so indignant to see me, friend!" she laughed, tossing her long hair behind her shoulder. She was garbed almost indecently, her dress little more than shimmery, translucent material draped over her attractive form. While Toby stood mute in open admiration of such a goddess, Puck scowled more deeply.  
  
"If it hadn't been brought to your notice, Ti," he began pompously, "I'm attempting to bring this young mortal boy to the king and queen. I'll have none of your games this day."  
  
Ti pouted prettily, none of the amusement gone from her eyes. "Oh, Puck," she breathed, sounding wounded, "You never complained about my tricks before!" Suddenly, her expression turned mischievous. "I believe you're just jealous. You have competition from myself and my brother now, where before _you_ were the only trickster around!" Before Puck could reply, the pert fae girl had turned to Toby and flashed him her most winning smile. "Good day to you, young friend! What do you call yourself?"  
  
"I, uh…I'm, um…T-Toby," he stammered, flushing hotly in embarrassment. Ti threw back her head and laughed merrily.  
  
"Toby, 'tis a pleasure meeting you! I am called Ti'Shalai na Brionnach. 'Tis truly strange to see--"  
  
"Enough of these pleasantries!" Puck interrupted suddenly. Toby took a step back, surprised at how irritated his guide was becoming. "Toby, were I in better spirits, I might have laughed at your open-mouthed expression, but it is truly becoming an annoyance. Ti is not what she appears to be, another example to a lesson I've been trying to teach you ever since I found you by that fountain."  
  
"She's…she's not?" Toby drawled in bewilderment, flicking his gaze momentarily back to the lovely fae girl. Her expression had lost all amusement, and was now merely petulant. Shimmering wings -- which he hadn't noticed before -- fluttered in the briefest show of her own irritation.  
  
"No. Ti, the games are finished. Show your true self!"  
  
With an indignant huff, Ti disappeared with a startling 'clap', a sound that an air vacuum might make. Reacting instinctively, Toby shut his eyes and shielded his face with his hands. When he at last looked up again, he saw a small faerie creature -- no bigger than his hand -- fluttering angrily in front of Puck's face. Light glittered on her beating wings and made her blond hair gleam. It was Ti! Only…smaller…  
  
"You are so beastly to me!" her tinny voice cried, little hands balled into fists. Puck looked meaningfully at Toby.  
  
"_This,_ young friend, is Ti's true form. She is _not_ the perfect beauty you saw just moments ago…though she might wish herself to be." He smirked at the angry girl.  
  
"Are _you_ really that small, too?" Toby asked hesitantly. He thought the question a logical one -- after all, when one looked at pictures of faeries, weren't they all depicted as tiny creatures with wings? However, Puck shook his head.  
  
"Many different creatures live within this realm. You mortals, of course, have us all grouped together as 'faeries', but there are also elves, sprites, imps…a variety of folk. Ti, here, is something quite different from myself. Aren't you, Ti?" The tiny fae girl only glared mulishly in response. Before Puck could insult her further, she flitted over to Toby. A smile suddenly brightened her features.  
  
"I still like you, young Toby. I have a feeling we shall meet again…_without_ the presence of _him_." She pointed at the still-smirking Puck. "For now, however, I shall leave. You may enter the castle without any further interruption from myself." And with those parting words, she was gone, streaking through the air faster than Toby's eyes could follow her. Puck nodded once in satisfaction.  
  
"There. Shall we go on, then?" Toby nodded his acquiescence, and the pair finally entered Oberon and Titania's home. 


	3. Toby's Quest

**A/N:** More recognizable characters for you! This one's a short chapter...I just wanted to post something with a little more action in it. ;)  
  
**Disclaimer:** Jareth, Sarah, Toby, and the whole 'Labyrinth' crew belong to Jim Henson and all of those folks. Characters not from 'Labyrinth' or other recognizable works are mine...unless I say otherwise. :P  
  


* * *

  
  
**Chapter Two**  
  
"It is not very often that a mortal finds his way this deep into the land of Faerie."  
  
Oberon, King of the Fae, stood tall and imposing on the wide dais comprising one end of the throne room. Beside him sat his queen, Titania. Though they both shared typical faerie traits -- slim, arched eyebrows; high cheekbones; and delicate, almost marble-like skin -- they were otherwise vastly different in appearance. Oberon was dark of hair and eye, and while his wife also had alluring dark eyes, her hair was a wealth of golden curls. Oberon had the look of a person who could easily be mean -- almost like Jareth -- while Titania presented the very model of a genteel lady. Toby wished fervently that he could have been addressed by the queen rather than the intimidating king.  
  
"I, uh…I wasn't trying--" Puck elbowed Toby sharply, bringing to the boy's attention the fact that he'd been mumbling too softly to hear. Panicked, his voice immediately picked up in volume _and_ speed. "_Iwasn'ttryingtogethereIwantedtogototheLabyrinth!_"  
  
Beside him, Puck chuckled softly in amusement. An eloquently arched eyebrow was the only response given from Oberon, and Toby suddenly felt like he was in one of those cop shows -- the part where the criminal gets interrogated by one very _mean_ looking policeman.  
  
"The Labyrinth, you said?" Titania inquired, her voice mellow and soothing. Toby gulped and nodded. "You must be Sarah's young brother. How did you come to be _here_ instead of in the Underground?" At this question, Oberon looked meaningfully at Puck, but the impish fae merely shrugged.  
  
"I wished," Toby explained. "Sarah said if I wished hard enough, I could visit her."  
  
"But he wasn't clear in his wish," Puck added. "He wished to be on the kingdom's 'front doorstep', if I'm not mistaken."  
  
"Because I heard Mom say that showing up on someone's doorstep without calling first was rude!" Toby defended indignantly, having heard the mocking tone in Puck's voice. This statement only caused the small fae to cackle with mirth. Even Titania and Oberon were smiling amusedly. Toby frowned in puzzlement before continuing meekly, "Isn't it?"  
  
"Your mother was quite right," Titania assured, her smile warm. "However, the realm of Faerie seldom follows the same dictates of your world."  
  
"Which is why we are portrayed as such malevolent spirits in storybooks," Puck expounded. "Before your world became so lax by way of manners, our brief forays were seen as terrible acts of mischief. Now, people seldom notice our presence!" He frowned. "Takes all the fun out of a good trick."  
  
"Puck," Oberon said warningly, before looking back at Toby. "We believe your reasons for being here, but please understand that it is seldom allowed for denizens of the mortal realm to enter Faerie and then leave. We are a secretive people, and do not look well upon trespassers."  
  
"But I didn't _mean_ to trespass!" Toby defended, feeling panic rise within him once more. They wouldn't try to make him stay here permanently, would they?  
  
"Nevertheless you have, and--"  
  
"Oberon, be kind to the boy," Titania reproved. "He's frightened enough as it is." She smiled at Toby. "My husband is not normally so rude, but you have appeared at quite an inopportune time. An immensely important item has been stolen from within these very walls -- walls which we always assumed to be safe -- and Oberon and I are both most anxious to see it returned."  
  
"I-I'm sorry," Toby said lamely, not knowing what response was appropriate in this case. Oberon seemed not to have noticed that the boy had even spoken. Instead, a new light shown in his eyes, as if he'd just thought of something brilliant.  
  
"This item that has been stolen," he said slowly, still processing his thoughts. "It is of no consequence to you, being but a mortal child, but it is very important to us. By all appearances, it is a very ordinary adornment -- a crown of sorts, to those who know no better. But to those who possess magic strong enough, this item has more power than anything ever seen in Faerie. It is called the Imperial Diadem, a name which hardly does it justice."  
  
"Why are you telling me this?" Toby inquired hesitantly in the pause that followed Oberon's story.  
  
"In the wrong hands, the Diadem can become a powerful weapon of destruction," the king continued, acting as if he hadn't heard Toby's question at all. "The Unseelie Court has sought to obtain it for longer than you would be able to comprehend. Were they to finally make use of it, _all_ the realms would be in grave danger. Death and darkness would rule all, and the infrequent raids of your world would become constant tortures. The same would happen here…_and_ in the Underground.  
  
"The power of the Diadem is neither good nor evil -- such is the way of magic. It is the user who determines the purpose of the magic. The Seelie Court uses the Diadem's power to give life to the land, to nurture and heal and protect. The Unseelie Court would see its power used to bring death and decay. That, young mortal, is why the Imperial Diadem must be returned to us.  
  
"It is why _you_ must see it found."  
  


* * *

  
  
"Are you sure you haven't just imagined it?" Jareth inquired, skepticism heavy in his voice. Sarah shook her head.  
  
"It was real, Jareth," she told him firmly. "It was too far away for me to know _exactly_ where it happened, but somebody made a wish fervently enough to bring them into this world." She paused a moment and swallowed. "I think it was Toby."  
  
"Your brother?" Jareth turned quickly to look at his wife. The powers he had given her so many years ago -- the power of wishes and dreams -- had manifested itself in ways he could have never predicted. Just as he was able to sense when a person wished away an unwanted sibling, Sarah could sense the power of wishes within the Underground. She had become a guardian of sorts, a protector of people's hopes and wishes and dreams. It was a power Jareth would have once been irritated to discover she possessed. Now he found it complemented his own powers perfectly, just as she seemed to complement him.  
  
If Toby truly _had_ wished himself into the Underground, Sarah would know. Their kinship created bonds that transcended even the magic itself.  
  
"I should have known he'd try to come here, even though I told him not to," Sarah fretted, pushing away from the window. At this admission, the Goblin King's suspicions were immediately aroused.  
  
"What do you mean?" he demanded softly. "You didn't tell him how to find his way here, did you? Sarah, you know the dangers of this realm…"  
  
"He knew to some extent already how to get here, though he hadn't truly realized it," Sarah protested. "He found his way here unaided during the battle with the Nightmares, if you'll remember."  
  
"Yes, creatures which very nearly killed him…which still _could_ kill him if he's landed himself outside the Labyrinth's walls. The Nightmares take their charges as guards very seriously. I doubt they'll remember your blood ties to Toby when the lust to kill has taken hold of them."  
  
"For now, we won't have to worry about that," Sarah murmured. At her husband's questioning look, she continued, "He's not anywhere within the Underground. I think he's in Faerie."  
  
"_What?_" Jareth exploded, causing Sarah to recoil despite herself. She realized almost immediately thereafter that the exclamation hadn't been born of anger, but rather fear…and this caused her no small amount of nervousness. What reason did the Goblin King have to be afraid of his own people?  
  
As if sensing her worry, Jareth calmed himself and attempted to explain. "You've already discovered how different Faerie is from the Underground, Sarah. Magic is very prevalent here, but it is more…_friendly_, if you will, toward mortals. This place hasn't existed quite as long as Faerie has. Faerie has existed longer than the race of Man, longer even than those creatures who came before your kind. Consequently, the magic has changed and grown more feral, as have the creatures who inhabit that realm. "Toby faces no immediate harm from Oberon or Titania. However, he faces a very real threat in the rest of Faerie. Do you know exactly where he appeared?" Sarah shook her head, and Jareth sighed. "Then let us hope my uncle has found him, or else your brother might become a permanent -- and short-lived -- denizen of that realm."  
  


* * *

  
  
Toby gaped, openmouthed, at the fae king. The man was joking, right? He didn't _really_ expect Toby to go out and find some crown, did he?  
  
Puck seemed to have had the same thoughts. "Surely you're jesting!" he exclaimed, eyes wide with astonishment. "This boy could not even find his way out of the Phoenix Ring! How can you charge him with this task, when the first faerie trick will surely succeed in stopping him?"  
  
"If the Unseelie Court has the Diadem, as I suspect it does, they will expect every possible force at my command to go after it. What they would _never_ suspect is a harmless mortal challenging them. With no magic, he can slip through their defenses undetected, find the Imperial Diadem, and be safely back here before they've even realized what happened!" Oberon's plan seemed to have too many holes for Toby's liking. Once again, Puck agreed.  
  
"Have you forgotten what the Unseelie Court does to hapless mortals? He will not appear as a threat to them, true enough, but he _will_ look the part of a tantalizing plaything. A young and innocent mortal, right here in Faerie for them to use as they wish! They would not even have to expend the energy required to part the fabric between realms!"  
  
Toby didn't like the sound of things. This…Unseelie Court…were they really _that_ bad? Visions began to dance about in his mind, none of them at all appealing. With a shudder, he looked up at Oberon and murmured, "Couldn't you find some _other_ mortal for this? I just want to get back to my sister!"  
  
"I will see to it that you find your sister," Oberon assured, and Toby's hopes momentarily lifted. "However, I demand that you first complete this task. As a trespasser in my kingdom, you should consider yourself lucky that I have chosen such a generous fate. Other mortals have fared far worse in your place."  
  
As Toby fought down the acrid taste of fear that rose in his throat, he finally realized exactly _how_ unpredictable the fae could be. 


	4. Everlind's Gift

**A/N:** I'm going to start putting my notes at the bottom...so look there from now on! ;)  
  
**Disclaimer:** Jareth, Sarah, Toby, and the whole 'Labyrinth' crew belong to Jim Henson and all of those folks. Characters not from 'Labyrinth' or other recognizable works are mine...unless I say otherwise. :P  
  


* * *

  
  
**Chapter Three**  
  
"So, uh…where exactly IS this court?" Toby inquired, finally resigned to the fact that he had no choice but to find the Imperial Diadem.  
  
"The Unseelie Court is far beyond our borders," Oberon explained. "Upon leaving the castle, you must head east, through the land of the gnomes. Close to our borders, the gnomes of Og'Mael are tolerant of faeries…and without close scrutiny, you could pass for a fae. The farther you travel into this kingdom, however, the more careful you will have to be. The gnomes there have been subverted by the power of the Unseelie Court, and will be more than willing to capture you. However, if you remain cautious you will make it through unhindered."  
  
"Should they try to trap you, however," Puck interjected, shooting an irritated glare at the king, "Use this." He handed over a leather pouch, which Toby took eagerly. Opening the drawstrings, he peered inside and saw nothing more than ordinary sand.  
  
"What's _this_ supposed to do?" he asked dubiously.  
  
"One of my little tricks," Puck replied smugly. "Modeled somewhat after your mortal gunpowder, but with a little more excitement." He winked. "It should be enough to deter _any_ gnome from attempting to catch you."  
  
"And if it's not?"  
  
"Well then, I suppose you'll be playing the part of Jester to the Gnomish court for a long time to come, eh?" The small fae cackled.  
  
"One more word of caution, which my husband seems conveniently to have forgotten," Titania spoke up, her wide doe eyes solemn. "To the southeast of this castle lies the kingdom of the elves. Once, their land was joined with ours, but in recent years they've separated and are struggling to create their own monarchy. They wish to have nothing to do with any creatures of this kingdom, and can be quite hostile at times. Therefore, you _must_ not stray from your course. If you should wander into Elvish lands, you will have even less of a chance at surviving than you will in Og'Mael. Do you understand?" Toby could only nod in response, fear tightening his throat too much to allow speech. Oberon took this sign as the end of their conversation.  
  
"Very well. Good luck to you, young mortal, and may we see you return to the kingdom soon!" Looking past Toby, he gestured regally to someone toward the back of the room. Turning, Toby saw a petite faerie servant step forward. "Everlind, please see to it that he is given supplies to last him during this journey. Puck, I will hear no more of your complaints; this boy is no longer your responsibility."  
  
"'Twas _I_ who brought him here, and therefore it should be me who leads him!" Puck exclaimed vehemently. When the king made a blatant show of ignoring the other man's protestations, Puck stormed over to Toby and murmured, "I did not have the time to teach you _nearly_ as much as you need to know. Do not trust your mundane perceptions in this world. What you see, what you hear, even what you _touch_ can all be deceptions. Rely on your instincts, young friend, and you should do well. In the meantime, I will do my best to establish contact with the Goblin King, and with luck your quest will be ended quickly." He cast a quick glance in the direction of the impatient king. "Now, be off with you! And keep in mind that _nothing_ is what it seems!"  
  
_Why does that line sound so familiar…?_  
  
"Follow me, young mortal," spoke a sweet voice next to Toby's ear, effectively breaking his concentration. Turning once again, he found himself looking at the faerie girl, Everlind. Pale ivory skin was tinged a dusky pink along her high cheekbones, and hazy amethyst eyes looked out from within a frame of sooty black lashes. Thick black hair was pinned high on the back of her head, allowing the long curls to fall gracefully to the nape of her neck. Her dress, by contrast, was completely incongruous with the rest of her. While her features were all elegantly sculpted, her dress was patched together with different shades of purple fabrics: some lavender, some orchid, and some so pale as to be indecipherable from white. Pockets of varying sizes adorned her skirt, so many that Toby wondered if all her life possessions could be kept there.  
  
She smiled politely at him, and Toby found himself even more captivated by this girl than he'd been by Ti in her taller, goddess-like form. He followed her obediently out of the throne room.  
  
"My name's Toby," he told her at length, feeling as though he had to say something to this wonderful girl. She gave him that small, enigmatic smile again and nodded.  
  
"Yes, I know. And mine is Everlind." She fell silent once more, and Toby despaired of ever being able to strike up a conversation. However, just as he'd given up, she turned her head and glanced at him. "You are truly from the mortal realm?" she inquired, almost eagerly. He nodded in response. "I hear others often speaking of their encounters with mortals, but I had never hoped to see one. You are not so very different from us; I find myself strangely disappointed."  
  
"I'm sorry," Toby mumbled, feeling somehow guilty for disappointing her. "You don't really look too different from people in my world, either. Well…some of you do. No one in _my_ world has purple eyes." He chuckled nervously and felt his cheeks grow pink. Everlind laughed.  
  
"Truly?" she asked in disbelief. "This is a very common shade among my people. Not the fae who live in this castle; I was born in a village far south of here. Most fae who live in this area have dark eyes. Rarely, someone comes along with gold or silver eyes. Do people of your world have eyes _that_ shade?"  
  
Gold or silver? Toby shook his head. "We've got brown, blue, green, and gray," he told her, watching as she seemed to grow even more curious. "Oh, and then there's hazel…That color changes."  
  
"How so?"  
  
"Well, sometimes the person looks like they have blue eyes, and sometimes their eyes look brown, or green…"  
  
"Can the person change their eye color at will?" The petite fae looked envious. "I would like to have silver eyes. Do you not think silver is a lovely shade?"  
  
"Yes…" Toby agreed hesitantly. How would he know if silver eyes were pretty if he'd never seen them before? "But you can't just change eye colors whenever you want. Sarah -- that's my sister -- has hazel eyes. They just…change whenever. Like, if she gets really angry at something, her eyes get dark."  
  
"It still sounds lovely." Everlind sighed and went back into contemplative silence.  
  
After a few moments, Toby's instinctive need to talk gave him voice again. "So, um…When I get out of here, which way is east?"  
  
Everlind blinked, surprised for a moment that he didn't know his way. Then she frowned to herself and began sorting through the myriad pockets in her dress. "I have something…in one of these pockets…that should be of aid to you," she said distractedly, stopping in the middle of the corridor while she searched. After several minutes, she plucked a small object from one of the larger pockets and held it up for Toby's inspection.  
  
"A rock?" he said cautiously, not wanting to upset her. The girl's triumphant expression melted into a look of amusement.  
  
"A compass stone, Toby," she corrected him. "Not so great a magic as the one Puck has given you, but useful nonetheless." Clasping it tightly in both hands, Everlind closed her eyes and brought the stone closer to her face. After a few seconds, muted white light began to shine from between the cracks of her closed fingers. Another few seconds and the glow was gone, and the smooth gray stone looked normal once more.  
  
"Now what?" The stone was placed in Toby's outstretched hand, and he looked at it curiously.  
  
"Turn in a circle, and see what happens."  
  
Looking skeptical, Toby nonetheless began to turn slowly in a circle, holding the stone before him on his palm. When he'd turned nearly halfway around, the stone began to glow again. As he continued turning, this time much more slowly, the glow grew brighter until finally he had to turn away from it. Everlind grinned and pulled on his arm to turn him the rest of the way around, and the stone faded back to dull, ordinary gray.  
  
"So…when the stone starts glowing like that, it means I'm going east?"  
  
"Exactly!" Everlind looked pleased with herself. "I've never had use of it, myself, but I found it discarded and decided that I would keep it in case it proved useful someday."  
  
Realization dawning on him, Toby glanced down at the pockets stitched on the girl's dress. The glance had only been brief, but Everlind was quick and clever, and she seemed to know exactly what he was thinking. "Aye, I collect many interesting things," she stated, confirming his suspicions. "Pieces of silver, ribbons, even items of small magic -- though it's rare to find those. Anything that catches my eye, I pick up and carry around with me, a habit which has made all these pockets necessary! My brother called me Magpie as a child because of my habit. However, even _he_ found useful some of the items I carried!" She shrugged, suddenly looking self-conscious, and chuckled. "I apologize; I didn't mean to stand here and bore you with my life history!" Smiling again, she nodded once down the corridor and continued walking. Toby trailed obediently after, amused by the girl's odd behavior. The compass stone felt warm in his closed hand.  
  
He was surprised to see the cavernous room that housed the castle's kitchen. Of course, such a large place would require a large kitchen -- and an equally large staff -- but he'd been thinking that magical creatures would disdain such mundane approaches to making food. Yet there were hundreds of uniformed servants, bustling about in preparation for the next meal. Everlind, comfortable in such a busy atmosphere, slipped easily through the other servants and beckoned Toby to follow. He didn't have such an easy time making his way to the other end of the kitchen, however, and consequently collided with several irate fae. Everlind rushed back to him and hastily led him by the hand out of that room and into a smaller, quieter place: the pantry, most likely, though such a name seemed inadequate for a room only slightly smaller than the kitchen itself. Shelves lined the walls, all stocked with food, and bags of what appeared to be flour and sugar took up an entire corner.  
  
"Everlind?" Toby asked quietly, his eyes still roving over the shelves. His stomach growled in response to such a wealth of edibles. "Puck told me…Well, he said that if I ate or drank anything here, I'd be…"  
  
"Bewitched?" Everlind finished for him. At Toby's nod, she smiled sadly. "Aye, what he said was true. Any human who tastes the food of Faerie is doomed to an eternal life here. Perhaps 'eternal' is not the appropriate word, however…"  
  
"Because humans don't live as long as faeries?"  
  
"No, they don't." She gave a wavering sigh, and her wide amethyst eyes suddenly began to glitter with tears. "Oh, Toby, would that I could change things just for you!" she cried. "What the king has demanded is unfair, for surely he knows that…" She trailed off and stared hard at the floor.  
  
"Knows what, Everlind?" Toby asked warily, a cold feeling slowly numbing him. Though he had an idea of what she was about to say, he needed to hear the words come from her lips, as though perhaps what she had to say wouldn't be as bad as the thoughts that were storming in his brain. The fae girl was slow in responding, fighting hard to keep her emotions in check. Eventually, she looked up at him again, and what he saw in her face was even more frightening than looking upon Oberon's countenance.  
  
"He knows the effect of our food on mortals," she began. "He knows that if you should even _taste_ any of it, or take the tiniest sip of wine or water, you will want to stay here forever."  
  
"So I won't eat anything!" Toby exclaimed defiantly, suddenly not wanting her to continue. However, she'd finally gotten the courage to tell him everything, and she wasn't about to let him stop her. Placing a gentle, yet firm hand over his mouth, she went on.  
  
"The quest will take days, weeks, perhaps even longer. Eventually, you will lose strength if you do not eat. If you eat, you will be bewitched. If you do not eat--"  
  
"Everlind…" Toby begged, pulling her hand away from his mouth.  
  
"…You will die."  
  


* * *

  
  
**Notes:** The name 'Everlind' was not one created by me. It was a name I picked up from a TERRIFIC series of books by Terry Brooks...if any of you have read the _Shannara_ fantasy series, then you'll probably know what I'm talking about. In one particular book, there was a character named Mole who lived underground and didn't really associate with people. He spent his life collecting discarded stuffed animals and other things that people had "abandoned". And he treated the stuffed animals like family. Everlind was the name he gave to one of these stuffed animals, and I always thought there was something really pretty about the name. So I gave it to one of MY characters. ;) And her habit of collecting things is a nod to Mole. I feel so clever! ;)  
  
I'd also like to thank Phoenix Flight for that one lonely review I got. *grins* 


	5. Unexpected Ally

**Disclaimer:** Oh c'mon, you know this drill by now! ;) The Labyrinth crew belongs to Jim Henson and those wonderful folks. The only character I claim sole posession of is Fif.  
  


* * *

  
  
**Chapter Four**  
  
"What is he doing?!" Jareth roared, hurling the crystal he'd been holding against the opposite wall. It bounced harmlessly to the ground, then disappeared. "I knew of Oberon's prejudice against mortals, but this is going too far! He _knows_ that child is under my protection, and still he--"  
  
"Under your protection?" Sarah echoed, arching an eyebrow. "Jareth, since when has my brother been under _your_ protection?  
  
"You're my wife, and he's part of your family, which therefore makes him part of mine," the Goblin King growled. "I will not let my family be put into danger."  
  
"So there's only one thing to do, then."  
  
"And what do you propose that is?"  
  
"Go find him ourselves and bring him back here." Sarah's chin was tilted slightly, her eyes flashing defiance. Jareth sighed and shook his head, raking fingers back through his hair.  
  
"It's not that simple, Sarah. Going against Oberon's direct orders would cause an uproar I don't think I'm prepared to handle at this point. Our powers are evenly matched -- or close enough, in any case. A fight could last longer than either of us would like…and while the Imperial Diadem is missing, all the realms need to remain united."  
  
"Tell that to the elves," Sarah grumbled, having witnessed firsthand what Elvish ire was like. Even this far to the east, the aftershock of their magic was easily felt. While those of the fae used magics based more in Air, Fire, and Spirit, the elves' magic was comprised entirely of Earth elements…and in many ways, that was much more powerful.  
  
"The elves are of little concern to us right now," Jareth murmured thoughtfully. "Unless Toby should stray into their land…However, I believe that compass stone he was given should be reliable enough…"  
  
"That's it!" Sarah's sudden exclamation brought a startled jerk from her husband. "Everlind! Jareth, we can find Everlind and ask her to help us! She doesn't want Toby to go on this quest any more than we do…She _has_ to help!"  
  
"How are we going to reach her when she's inside Oberon's castle?"  
  
She paused a moment in thought, then looked up again and said simply, "Puck."  
  
It was Jareth's turn to arch a brow. "How is Puck going to help us? I don't trust that fae as far as I can throw him, as you would say Aboveground. Why did he take Toby to Oberon in the first place? He could have just as easily escorted him here."  
  
"Maybe he really believed Oberon would help," Sarah suggested. "Or maybe he's like Hoggle used to be with you. Oberon _can_ be intimidating, you know. It's not all that different a situation from the one you put Hoggle in. Or have you conveniently forgotten about that time?" She had the satisfaction of seeing her husband squirm uncomfortably.  
  
"Point taken, my dear. Very well, since you seem to have things so under control, I'll leave it to _you_ to contact our friend."  
  
"Me?" Sarah squeaked. "I thought you said Toby was under _your_ protection!"  
  
"A king and his queen must share responsibilities," Jareth replied smugly. "I have other matters to attend to, so I'll leave this in your _oh_ so capable hands." Without another word he disappeared, leaving Sarah to stare disbelievingly after him.  
  


* * *

  
  
"I wish you luck, Toby," Everlind murmured, clasping his hand tightly. They had reached the expansive front entrance to the castle, and it was there that the servant girl had to stop. A pair of guards pulled open the heavy wooden doors, allowing bright sunlight to pour through. "My thoughts will be with you constantly."  
  
"Thanks, Everlind." Toby smiled with more courage than he felt, gave her slim hand one last squeeze, and forced himself to walk through the open doorway. Inside, his stomach was knotted into a cold ball of terror. Despite the compass stone and Puck's bag of magic, he still felt alone and vulnerable…and completely lost. He wanted to fling himself at the fae king's feet and beg to be released from such a task, yet what pride was left to him refused to allow such a show of weakness. Toby was constantly trying to make his parents see that he was no longer just a kid; now was his chance to prove it.  
  
_Except it won't matter at all if you're dead,_ spoke the little voice inside his head. Toby very nearly whimpered at the thought, but thankfully choked back the embarrassing noise. How far would he get if he kept thinking like that?? Pushing the dubious murmurings out of his mind, he held the compass stone before him and started turning in a slow circle. When the object began to glow so brightly he could no longer look at it, he closed his hand and glanced in the direction he'd be heading. For now, at least, the small stream bordering Oberon's castle flowed in the same direction. He set off resolutely, his hand so tight around the compass stone that its rounded edges pressed achingly into his palm.  
  
Despite his fear, Toby had to admit that Faerie was a very lovely place. Everything was so green and calm, as pristine as his own world must once have been before people had begun creating machinery. There were groves of white birches; flowering shrubs that were much too perfect to be growing wildly; colorful beds of wildflowers; and deep, cool forested springs where pixies played. Toby often found himself veering off his original path to explore the surrounding land, fascinated with the pure…_perfection_…of such a place. Maples, oaks, elms, and other such commonplace trees from the mortal realm were nowhere to be found in this magical place; the dominant tree here was the white birch, one that Toby had always felt was completely out-of-place in his world. One of the hidden springs he'd found had been nestled protectively under weeping willow trees, and after traveling even deeper into the forest he discovered a copse of ancient, dark and gnarled trees. Moss and vines were creeping profusely along the trunks of these imposing towers, and the sunlight seemed dimmer somehow. Upon closer inspection, Toby found a cobwebbed grotto hidden beneath the enormous roots of one tree, and clambered eagerly down to investigate. Sunlight filtered between the roots, creating golden beams in the dusty air. Tiny plant roots and vines hung from the ceiling, brushing lightly against Toby's head as he walked. But there was something almost eery about the damp grotto, and it didn't take long for Toby to turn and make a hasty exit. As well he did, too, for no sooner had he vacated the area did its owner return with new treasures to hoard away.  
  
Realizing that he'd strayed too far from his original course, the young boy set back for the way he'd come…and came across the willow spring again. Tinny laughter sounded from within the leafy curtains, but it suddenly stopped as he drew nearer. Thinking he'd chased off the creatures who were playing, Toby started to hasten away but a voice called out to him. It was rich and melodic, nearly hypnotizing in its lilt and tone. All that was said was "Come play with us!" but it was as though the voice possessed uncanny powers of persuasion. Without the slightest doubtful thought, Toby swept aside the yellow-green canopy and paused along the grassy bank. There, his eyes went round with wonder and embarrassment. Swimming in this wide spring were five -- no, six -- water nymphs, each of them ethereal and lovely. The sixth was perched on a large stone at the other end, and the other five were watching him with playful, expectant gazes. Not a one of them had any clothes on.  
  
"Come play with us!" one of them repeated. This was followed by an echoing chorus from the other nymphs. The sixth, unashamed of her naked beauty, never moved from her seat upon that rock. Her hair, a fiery auburn, flowed softly over one shoulder and down almost to her feet. Even from the other side of the spring, Toby could see that her eyes were green.  
  
"I…I need to leave," he stammered, fist clenching even more tightly around the compass stone. All six nymphs turned to each other and laughed, but the sixth never took her twinkling gaze from his face.  
  
"Your business can wait a little longer," she cajoled, her voice carrying sweetly across the water. "We so seldom find playmates this far into the forest."  
  
It quickly became apparent that she had been the one to call Toby into this sheltered hollow, though by that point he was too bewitched to realize it. Her voice held all the promise of the world, all the tantalizing excitement he'd ever wished for. Before he realized it, Toby was in the water with them, splashing and playing as he might have with any of his friends back home. Their playfulness occasionally grew more rough and forceful, as they either dunked or pulled him underwater and held him there. Several times, Toby came to the surface spluttering and afraid they meant to drown him -- and even more afraid that he might have accidentally swallowed some of that water -- but just one word from that quiet nymph on the rock soothed his worries and brought back his playful spirit. It was as though his mind had been put in a haze…but when the sky began to grow dimmer, even in this golden basin, the nymphs climbed out of the water. They said not a word to the bewildered Toby as they left, running fleet-footed into the forest. Toby climbed onto the bank dazedly, wondering where all the time had gone and how he'd come to be in that spring in the first place. Shivering, he pulled his clothes back on and hurried out of the willow-circled hollow.  
  
Sunset had transformed Faerie into a burnished landscape of fiery pearl. Long shadows filled hollows and valleys, while trees and hills were painted with saffron, gold, and autumn crimson. Fireflies -- or were they tiny pixies? -- bobbed and flashed in the darkening air, and the smell of blossoms became cool and sweet. The stream, when Toby was able to find it again, shimmered like liquid flame in the sunset glow, but by that point the young boy had ceased to find enjoyment in his surroundings. Fear had once again started his heart pounding; how could he have spent so long inside that forest? Damn his curiosity!  
  
Before long, the last vestiges of sunlight were gone and darkness had settled heavily upon the land. Those bobbing dots of light had disappeared, and suddenly all those harmless little noises filling the air became louder and more sinister, foreign and unrecognizable. Toby's gaze darted everywhere, and his ears were more sharply attuned than ever. Were there any creatures out here that would harm him? He was still relatively close to the castle (or so he hoped), but did that matter in this place? Maybe mortals weren't protected in the same way that any other denizen of Faerie would be…  
  
Inevitably, it grew so dark that Toby could no longer see where he was going. The stream was a comforting babble that drowned out some of the wilderness noises, but those that could still be heard seemed to close in around him. The whisperings of small breezes tousled his hair like invisible spirits, and the grasses beneath his feet swayed and brushed against his legs like living things…and then something large and dark swooped inches in front of his face, so close that it almost collided with his head. Crying out, Toby lifted his arms defensively in front of him…and the compass stone flared into blinding brilliance.  
  
Whatever creature that had nearly struck him was gone now, invisible in the surrounding darkness, but the compass stone made a comforting aura of light for several feet around him. Feeling buoyed by this newfound use for Everlind's gift, Toby quickened his steps and continued walking. The stone was held outward from him, his hand blocking its bright glow from his eyes, but ahead the way was made as bright as if he'd been shining a car's headlight. He could see the stream clearly now, could see the flowers and grasses as they swayed in the breeze…and those two pinpricks of light that looked suspiciously like a pair of eyes…  
  
In the time it took for Toby to get over his surprise, the eyes were gone. It had happened so quickly, in fact, that the boy wondered if he hadn't just imagined the whole thing. After all, it was easy to let one's imagination run away with himself out here in this unfamiliar territory. Cursing himself for an idiot, he continued walking. "You're too big to get scared by the dark," he told himself firmly.  
  
"Yes indeed, you're _much_ too big to jump at shadows," agreed a voice from within the surrounding darkness. Toby nearly dropped the compass stone, he was so startled. After a quick scramble, he flung his hand around to shed light in the direction of the voice…and instead he found himself engulfed in complete darkness. Bright peals of laughter filled the air. "I can think of better ways to shed light than by a rock!"  
  
"Who are you?" Toby cried, trying not to let his fear show.  
  
"Just someone who wants to help you," the voice -- distinctly boyish -- replied. A moment later, a small ball of light formed next to Toby's ear. It dipped and bobbed teasingly around his face in the manner of an irritating firefly, and wouldn't stop no matter how much Toby swatted at it. After a few minutes of this game, the tiny dot finally distanced itself from Toby and grew slightly larger, until it had illuminated the face of the one who'd been speaking.  
  
He didn't _look_ dangerous, Toby decided after a short scrutiny. The ball of light had illuminated dirty-blond -- almost light brown -- hair that was carelessly shorn and sticking out in all directions; bright hazel eyes that looked upon Toby with an inquisitive twinkle; and a broad, smiling mouth with teeth that were only _just_ too big. He looked no older than Toby, and despite his teasing seemed to be friendly enough. As long as one didn't trust him too implicitly, of course.  
  
"You'll be going the wrong way soon, you know," the stranger told him casually, once their mutual study was finished. Toby frowned.  
  
"What do you mean?" he demanded. "I know exactly where I'm going! To the east, toward Og'Mael!" He paused. "And who _are_ you, anyway?"  
  
"Fif Oran," the fae 'boy' responded. Toby had a feeling he was probably older than he looked. "And what makes you so eager to visit the gnomes?" He wrinkled his nose distastefully. "Dirty creatures, gnomes. Especially the farther east you travel. You don't look the sort to go into Gnomish lands."  
  
"I have to." Here, Toby lifted his chin proudly. "I'm on a quest. From King Oberon."  
  
"Oh ho! From the king himself, you say? You must be quite an important guest of Faerie, to be sent on a quest from King Oberon!" Fif leaned in closer, close enough that Toby caught the smell of damp earth and new spring leaves -- an almost comforting scent. "You _do_ realize, then, that he's leading you in the wrong direction?"  
  
As though he'd been slapped, Toby recoiled. "W-what?" he stuttered, caught completely offguard. "Why would he do that? He wants me to help him!"  
  
The boy laughed. "Friend, even a stranger such as I can see that you are a mortal. No denizen of Faerie -- or any of the surrounding realms -- would need a little trick such as that rock to navigate! And if there is one thing the Fae hate most, it is a mortal in their lands. You, apparently, were spared an immediate death. However, it appears that King Oberon has planned a more…_creative_ end for you."  
  
For several minutes, Toby stood in contemplative silence. On one hand, he thought, he had no idea who this 'Fif Oran' was. He was trying desperately to remember Puck's lessons, but they were all swirling chaotically in his head and he couldn't remember much more than "Don't trust anybody." But on the other hand, what Fif had said mirrored his own fears: that Oberon was merely trying to get Toby out of the way. Titania hadn't seemed to want Toby dead, but then again, faeries were tricky. Hadn't he learned that already, first with Ti and then later with the nymphs? _Everlind seemed genuine enough, though,_ he mused. _I wish she was here right now!_ Nothing happened.  
  
"How do I know you're telling the truth?" Toby asked at last. "You just popped out at me from the dark! You could be an _elf_ or something!"  
  
"An elf?" Fif hooted with laughter. "Elvish magic comes from the earth, don't you know that? I couldn't be doing this" -- he gestured to the globe of light hovering just above and to the left of his head -- "if I was an elf! Who would you be more willing to trust? A king who sends you off on some strange quest, or a friend who wants to help you get back to your family? You _must_ be the brother of Queen Sarah, after all. Wouldn't you rather find her again?"  
  
"You know my sister?" Toby blurted. Fif grinned.  
  
"Who _doesn't_ know of your sister?" he retorted. "First mortal queen of the Underground! For that matter, she could very well be the first mortal queen in _any_ of our realms! And considering the magical shock that went through Faerie upon your arrival, it was not so hard to guess that you were related to that great lady. Which is why I want to help you."  
  
"Doesn't seem like much of a reason to me," Toby replied, hoping to catch the stranger offguard. "I'm still a mortal."  
  
"And I should let you walk on to your death, true," Fif agreed solemnly. "But given what happened when you entered our realm, I would hardly like to find out what happens when you _leave_ it, and in such an untimely manner! Therefore, if you refuse to believe that I want to help you out of noble intentions, think of it as self-preservation. You see, I don't want to find out that the aftershock of your death would also cause _my_ death. I'm only a few centuries old, and in the prime of my life!"  
  
At this remark, Toby couldn't help but laugh. The youthful fae was so amiable that one couldn't help being drawn in by his easy charm. In the end, Toby decided to trust this Fif Oran…if only a little. "Well, I think I'll keep going the way I was going," he said slowly, "but you can come with me if you want. Y'know, to tell me if I'm going to fall off a hidden cliff somewhere."  
  
Fif chuckled. "I accept. But only because I'm curious about you…what's your name?"  
  
"Toby."  
  
"Ah. Well then, Toby, shall we continue? Which direction does your little rock say you should go?"  
  
"East."  
  
"East it is, then! Come now, we'll follow the river right through to Og'Mael. I wouldn't mind a small skirmish with some gnomes. Haven't fought one of them in…cor, it's been at _least_ a century! But gnomes don't change. They're always the same filthy, smelly little creatures."  
  


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**Notes:** Sorry it's taken me so long to update! I was hoping to have written a few more chapters, but I've just been lazy lately, so I decided to go ahead and post this chapter. ;) And now to the thank-you's!  
  
**Labyris - **I was hoping a nice Toby story would change the pace a bit! I agree, there just aren't too many fics out there about him!  
  
**BloodIce** & **Jareth_is_SO_cute** - Thank you! ^_^ I'm glad to know you both like it so far!  
  
**Raven** - Oh my gosh. You don't even know how much that second review of yours means to me. Actually, you sound exactly like me when I really get excited about a good story, because I always end up writing gushing emails/reviews! Unfortunately, I think they tend to scare off the authors. *blushes* But seriously, when I read that review I just sat here for like 5 minutes grinning like and idiot and ducking my head in that "Aww, that's so sweet!" sort of way. I'm so glad you like my stories! (And I wish I knew what happened to SkItZoFrEaK, because she was an awesome author too, hehe!) 


	6. What He Doesn't Know

**Chapter Five**  
  
"Another unlucky soul entranced by your fragile beauty, I see."  
  
Silky black strands of hair were stirred as he spoke softly by her ear. Everlind stood so perfectly still that she could have been a statue, had it not been for the nervous fluttering of her eyelashes or the shallow rise and fall of her chest. From behind her, Ryo lightly grasped her upper arms and pulled her against him. Still, she did not relax. The prince clucked reprovingly.  
  
"My sweet Everlind," he purred, gently nuzzling her hair, "why do you resist me? I have not made you angry, I hope." There was a tinge of condescending amusement to his last words that took away all sincerity. Everlind didn't struggle against him, but if it was possible her form tensed even further.  
  
"My lord has done nothing to anger me," she said at last. "I merely worry for the boy."  
  
Outright amusement from the fae prince this time. He released Everlind and circled around her, then paused in front of her and crossed his arms lazily. "In the centuries I've known you, not once have you cared for any of the rare mortals that happened to cross into Faerie. I do not believe for a second that you truly worry about this one."  
  
Shrugging, Everlind looked coyly up at Ryo through thick lashes. "Perhaps my lord is right," she murmured. "Perhaps this boy is as inconsequential as the rest." She allowed a mysterious smile to curve her lips. "I thought my lord enjoyed playing games with his lovers, however. Does this game not please him?"  
  
The low chuckle Ryo gave was seductive and predatory. Stepping closer to Everlind, he once again took hold of her arms and pulled her toward him, smiling in satisfaction when she lifted her face to his. "You please me greatly," he murmured huskily, lowering his head until he'd captured her lips with his own. Tension gone, Everlind molded herself against him and forgot about the inconsequential mortal boy.  
  


* * *

  
  
Despite having had the position for several years, Sarah had no real skill at being a queen. Her acting skills had come in handy on more than one occasion as she completely bluffed her way through things -- Jareth had once amusedly told her that half of being a leader was acting -- but when it came right down to it, she felt she just didn't know what she was doing. She'd never, during her childhood, imagined that one day she'd be a queen. She'd known that one day she would get to _play_ queens and noble ladies in theatre productions, but that was a far cry from the real thing. And so as she sat in her room, one foot tapping an anxious rhythm on the stone floor, she wondered if her acting could help her or hinder her in this situation.  
  
Puck, despite being a generally benign creature, was also terribly tricky. He could be loyal for years, and then suddenly one day turn around and play a horrible trick on you. Sarah didn't want -- couldn't _tolerate_ -- that happening this time. Her brother's life was on the line, and she needed true, dependable allies to help her save him. Everlind, she felt, would be her best help, but she couldn't get to the servant girl without alerting Oberon. Neither could she sneak into Faerie, for her mortal blood would alert everyone to her presence immediately. Even her small magical powers couldn't conceal the presence of iron in a realm whose very inhabitants could be killed by the substance.  
  
"There's no help for it," she sighed, slumping back in her chair. "I'm just going to have to ask him. And if he stabs me in the back, I'll make the rest of his immortal life absolutely miserable." Calling up a crystal, she cooed Puck's name softly and waited for a reply. It came almost immediately, though the voice was soft and bewildered. Sarah smiled and continued, "Puck, it's Queen Sarah." To her chagrin, the fae's voice immediately perked up.  
  
"Ah, good Queen Sarah, mortal ruler of the Underground and mother of wishes! I don't suppose you're looking for something that belongs to you?"  
  
"You know very well why I'm contacting you, and I'd appreciate it if you didn't go broadcasting who you're talking to." Sarah's brow furrowed in vexation. How could she get the little man to listen to her? She decided not to enlist his aid just yet…better to catch him offguard. "Is there anybody nearby who can hear us?"  
  
"Rest assured, dear lady, that I have left the royal court. Your secrets are safe with me." He chuckled.  
  
"Why is it that I don't feel assured by that statement?" Sarah waited for Puck to stop his soft snickering before she continued, "As to the whereabouts of my brother, I already know where he's headed off to. As I'm sure you well know, my husband is capable of looking in on people --"  
  
"Spying, you mean? Aye, I know well his talent for eavesdropping. You realize that your handsome devil of a husband would not have the ability to see into Faerie if our king did not wish it, do you not? However, you have discovered that your brother is off questing for the Imperial Diadem. I suppose now your plan is to plead with good King Oberon to call off this mission?"  
  
_Good king, my ass,_ Sarah thought sourly. Aloud, she asked, "Would it work?"  
  
Puck snorted. "Not likely. You know as well as I that once his mind is made up, there's no changing it."  
  
"Oh." Sarah injected a tone of casual disinterest into her voice. "Then you'll just have to go after him yourself, I suppose."  
  
"'Twould also be a poor idea for you to -- _what?"_ Puck spluttered for a few moments before finally regaining himself. "Have you taken leave of your senses? Were I to go after the boy, Oberon would see me dead! You are well aware of our realm's distaste for mortals!"  
  
"Yes, yes, they're disgusting creatures with fatal iron in their blood." Sarah rolled her eyes, although Puck couldn't see the expression. "Nonetheless, I do believe it was _you_ who led Toby to your king in the first place. Would I be wrong in that assumption?" A grumbled agreement was all she needed to press on. "In that case, much of the blame for this situation falls on _your_ shoulders. And if I'm not mistaken, while the Seelie Court would agree with King Oberon's decision to send Toby away, they would side with _me_ when I told them of your callous behavior. Even the Fae have _some_ compunction."  
  
A few drawn out moments of silence ensued. Sarah was beginning to wonder if Puck had cut off all communication when he finally said, "You have my respect, good queen. Some would say that being new to these realms, you could not possibly hold your own. I believe you have just proved them wrong."  
  
"Jareth has taught me well," Sarah replied. "Now. Are you going to help me, or do I follow through on my promise?"  
  
"Believe me when I say I would help your brother. However, my king's orders were explicit. 'Tis forbidden for me to go after the boy."  
  
"Oh, I never expected _you_ to go after him anyway. All I need you to do is find a certain servant girl and make sure she gets out of the castle safely. She ought to be able to get my brother out of danger, at least. Jareth and I will do the rest."  
  
"If it is Everlind of whom you speak, you truly _have_ taken leave of your senses."  
  
"Why do you say that?"  
  
"Because she is the servant of Ryo, Oberon's own son!" Puck squeaked. "Smuggling her out of the royal palace would have dire consequences!"  
  
"Ryo." Sarah spat the word out in disgust, remembering all too well the sly, arrogant prince. "Well, Puck, you have two choices: either go after Toby yourself, or get Everlind to do it. I may not be ruler of _your_ realm, but I still hold some weight in this court and I will not hesitate to use every ounce of my power. Do you understand?"  
  
"Hell hath no fury," Puck murmured, his voice distinctly amused. "Very well, Queen Sarah, I will do my best. You are a formidable adversary, but forgive me if I say that Ryo is worse. If you never hear from me again, it is because I am dead."  
  
At his last comment, Sarah couldn't help but laugh. "Your sacrifice means much to both me and my husband," she assured, still chuckling softly. "In return for your kindness, I'll do what I can to help you."  
  
"Why is it that I don't feel assured by that statement?" Puck retorted, echoing her earlier words. "Very well, good queen, I trust you. Farewell, until we meet again -- be it on this plane or another!"  
  
"Good-bye, Puck." Finished with her conversation, Sarah crossed the room to gaze out the window. Hazel eyes grew distant as her thoughts turned inward. _I'll get you back safely, Toby, I promise. I'll protect you._ Absently, her hand went to her abdomen…then jerked back as though shocked. Sarah grimaced and leaned against the wall, squeezing her eyes shut. _Not there anymore,_ she reminded herself. _The baby's gone. Has been for a year. You have to stop doing that…_  
  
As she looked out upon the Labyrinth once again, Sarah's jaw tensed resolutely. There was a very grave chance that Toby would stray into Elvish lands, and she had to find him before then. The elves had killed her unborn child; they would _not_ take her brother as well.  
  


* * *

  
  
Wearied by lack of food and sleep, Toby's footsteps began to lag. At first, Fif merely taunted him, goading his pride to keep him moving. When it became apparent that Toby's energy was running out, however, the spritely fae ceased his teasing and approached his friend with a somber expression. "You're not going to make it much further," he observed, for once not sounding amused. "Your energy is failing you."  
  
"I just need sleep," Toby stated, ignoring the gnawing pain in his stomach. He also ignored the thought of all the food Everlind had packed for him, instead trying to focus on other things. "Can we just rest here 'til morning? This is a stupid quest anyway; King Oberon can wait a little longer for me…if I come back at all…"  
  
"Oh, you'll come back," Fif stated, his boyish voice fierce. "I'll see to it that you make it back, one way or another. But you won't make it back at all if you don't eat something. You have to eat, Toby. Even an immortal such as myself can see that. You've got that pack there, so why not take out some of the food, rest a bit, and have something to eat?"  
  
Toby shook his head firmly. "I can't eat or drink anything while I'm here," he said, lowering himself into the soft grass. "Don't worry, Fif. I'll be fine. I just need to sleep for a little while. Could you…y'know, guard me or something?"  
  
Fif nodded, his arms crossed and a disapproving frown on his face. The ball of light hovering above his head bobbed impatiently, its glow a muted yellow rather than its usual silver. "I will watch you, friend," he murmured as Toby laid his head down and began drifting off to sleep. "But I fear that soon you will be faced with a very difficult choice, and I cannot help you if you refuse to help yourself."  


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**Notes:** I really need to start writing longer chapters. X_X It always _seems_ like I'm writing long chapters here in Word, but as soon as I transfer them over to a webpage, they become pitifully small! Ah well, that's something for me to work on. ;) I'm also working on editing "Say The Words" and "When Words Aren't Enough," so they -- or the first one, anyway -- should be up in a few weeks or so! :) 


	7. Might Hurt Him

**Chapter Seven  
  
**"The sun has risen, friend! Push yourself off the ground and prepare yourself for another day!"  
  
Toby groaned, his face crinkling in disgust as he tried to wet his tongue. It felt as though he hadn't had a drink in days, and that the very grass he'd been laying on had also been stuffed into his mouth. Blinking gritty eyes, he focused his gaze on Fif -- who, to his irritation, looked every bit as energetic as the day before -- and then pushed himself wearily to his feet. Fif canted his head slightly and pursed his lips.  
  
"Pardon the impertinence, but you should really consider having a _drink,_ at least," the fae told him matter-of-factly. "You look wretched."  
  
"Thanks a lot," Toby grumbled, patting his messy blond hair self-consciously. After stretching a bit, he bent down to retrieve his pack and then reached into his pocket for the compass stone…which was no longer there. But how could that be? Hadn't he put it there before going to sleep the night before? Panicked, Toby dropped to the ground and pushed the thick grass aside, casting about hastily for Everlind's gift. It _had_ to be around there somewhere!  
  
"What are you doing?" Fif demanded, chuckling. "Have you gone mad?"  
  
"The compass stone," Toby said. "I lost it. I don't know what happened to it!" He looked up. "How am I supposed to get to Og'Mael if I don't know which direction to go?"  
  
Fif's laughter did nothing to soothe Toby's anxiety. He was about to snap something mean when the fae exclaimed, "Friend, do you forget with whom you're traveling? Forget that silly rock! All we need do is follow this stream, and we'll reach those gnomes!" He chortled. "You silly humans, always needing maps and compasses to find your way…"  
  
By this point, Toby had stopped his search, realizing that Fif was right. He still didn't like the idea of leaving the compass stone behind -- wherever it had disappeared to -- but at least he wouldn't get lost. After one last glance at the ground, Toby shouldered his pack and followed Fif along the stream…making sure not to look down at it, lest his thirst get the better of him.  
  
Sleep had made him feel better, but only marginally so. Occasionally, his stomach would start cramping with hunger, and his mouth and throat were hopelessly dry. How long could a person go on without water? he wondered. He couldn't just stop to sleep every few hours, even if it allowed him to keep going that much longer. Right now, things weren't _too_ bad…but who knew when that would change? He'd never tried starving himself before. But if anorexics could do it, why couldn't he?  
  
_Shouldn't think about that anymore,_ he finally decided, even though food was all his thoughts seemed to turn to. Taking a few quick steps to catch up with Fif, he asked, "How much longer 'til we get to Og'Mael?"  
  
"Oh, we've still got quite a ways to go," Fif replied. Not hearing an immediate response, he looked over at Toby and his eyes glittered knowingly. "In other words, at some point or another, you're going to have to eat."  
  
"People can live awhile without eating," Toby muttered rebelliously.  
  
"How long can they go without drinking, then?" Silence. "That's what I thought. The choice is yours, friend, but as I said: I can save you from others wishing you harm, but I can't help you from killing yourself. It's your choice as to what you do…But tell me now if you plan on wasting away, because if you do I'm not going to waste my time leading you around Faerie."  
  
"I won't die…but that's all I'm saying," Toby stated. Fif shrugged and smiled.  
  
"Good enough! In that case, hurry up! We're barely making any ground at all at this snail's pace!"

----------------------------------------------------

  
  
_"Everlind!"_  
  
Ryo's head snapped up, seeing Puck storm angrily into the room. He watched as his servant -- and mistress -- also looked up in surprise. What could have gotten his father's aid so obviously angry? The little fae's face was twisted in an expression of pure fury, something that very rarely happened with such a jovial creature. Whatever had happened, it must have been bad.  
  
"Puck," the prince called out, his voice that of cool disinterest. "Kindly remember where you are. Though you may be a favorite of my father, nonetheless you are in _my_ quarters. I do not appreciate you terrorizing my servants."  
  
Puck bowed, looking only slightly chagrined. "Terribly sorry, Prince Ryo," he murmured. "I only wanted to have a word with Everlind. She has left the kitchen in a horrible mess, and I intend to see that she clean it up. If, of course, such an idea is agreeable to His Highness."  
  
For several moments, Ryo stared suspiciously at Puck. Was this a trick? The little imp was often trying to cause mischief with palace servants, though as of yet he'd stepped lightly around the royal prince. Had he become so bold as to forget such caution? After deeming such an idea ridiculous, Ryo turned to his servant. "Everlind," he said severely, "go with Puck. And when you have finished, return to me." He saw her amethyst eyes darken to a dusky hue and stifled the sly smile that threatened to curve his lips. She gave a small curtsy and then left the room with Puck.

----------------------------------------------------

  
  
"Puck, you have been terribly mistaken," Everlind protested, once out of earshot of the prince. "I was in the kitchen, but only for a few moments! And of course I cleaned up after myself! Now I will be in terrible trouble with Prince Ryo! How could you do such a thing to me?"  
  
Instead of replying, Puck ducked down a little-used corridor and dragged the fae girl after him. He could sense her curiosity and dismay, but didn't risk saying anything to her until he was sure they were alone. _Damn Queen Sarah and her tricks,_ he thought irritably, his eyes trained alertly to the shadows. _If I get caught, I will take her to death with me!_  
  
His thoughts were interrupted when Everlind yanked her arm out of his grasp and stopped moving. "I do not know where you're taking me, but I _demand_ to know what is going on. And I'll not go a step farther until you tell me."  
  
Puck sighed, glanced around him one more time, and then shrugged. If he was going to get caught, he'd be caught. No amount of secrecy would be able to help him. "It's about the boy," he said without preamble. Everlind's expression went from surprise to cold indifference in a matter of seconds.  
  
"Has he died, then?" she inquired. "Prince Ryo said he would. He laughed at me for going so far as to give provisions to the boy, since he would never eat them. I reckon he's starved himself to death; I am certain I scared him enough into staying away from the food."  
  
"Are you so coldhearted, then, that you care not whether he lives or dies?" Puck fought the impulse to violently shake Everlind. He knew she was a fickle creature, but he'd hoped there was _some_ warmth in her heart! His hopes were shattered at her next words:  
  
"I hope he _has_ died."  
  
At that moment, Puck did more than shake her: he slapped her. Hard. Before her cry of pain had even faded from the air he snapped, "You disgust me. I came to you thinking to find an ally, but you fooled us all. You are as shallow as your master."  
  
Through watery eyes, Everlind glared balefully at him. "Why do _you_ care so much for a mortal boy? I've never seen you show so much compassion for one before."  
  
"Have you ever seen the Goblin King become angry? Well and truly angry?" Puck had the pleasure of seeing the fae girl look less sure of herself. "'Tis not a pleasant event, I assure you. And his wife is just like him. To make them both angry would bring such wrath down upon our realm…but why should you care about that, either? You are obviously not in a position that requires worrying." He gave a mocking bow. "Sorry to have taken up your valuable time with the prince. Pray, go back to him now before he grows lonely and his bed grows cold." He stalked off to the sound of Everlind's angry spluttering.  
  
How could he have been so wrong in judging her character? Puck had thought his biggest problem would be Ryo; he'd never even imagined that the true problem would be with Everlind herself. Yet she'd proven herself to be every bit as cold and cruel as her master, and while this angered Puck, it also disappointed him. He'd thought her to be a cute, inquisitive little thing, much resembling the nickname she'd been given from her brother before she came to the palace. Could she have changed so much in her time here, or had she always been this way? Even Puck wasn't so unfeeling toward the world, much as he made himself appear so!  
  
"'Tis lucky I said nothing about wishing to help young Toby," Puck decided, his temperament still stormy. "Without a doubt, she would have run back to Ryo directly and told him everything!" He frowned and sighed. "What am I to tell Queen Sarah now? She will do everything in her power to make my life miserable…as if it isn't miserable enough already! Blast that boy; can't he even _wish_ correctly?"

----------------------------------------------------

  
  
"Ohhhhh, I wish this stupid quest was OVER already!" Toby shouted in frustration. Fif stepped away and then watched him with humorous expectation, as though pretending Toby's wish would come true yet knowing it wouldn't. When nothing happened, Toby slumped and continued walking.  
  
"Your wishing magic doesn't have quite the same effect here as it does in other realms," the fae explained, falling in step with Toby. "Stop being so glum! I assure you, this will all be over before you know it. You shall return a triumphant hero!"  
  
Toby looked over with a disbelieving expression. "How would _you_ know?" he demanded crankily. "You said you haven't even been this way in a long time. Are you sure we're even going the right way? We could be going back to Oberon's place for all I know…"  
  
Fif tsked. "You are wearing down, and becoming grouchy in the process. Who is the native of this land, and who is the newcomer? I'd like to think that I know my way around here a far sight better than you do…therefore, kindly be silent if you have nothing cheerful to say and let me do the leading." He chuckled. "You remind me of some of the young children I have seen in your world: 'Are we there yet?'" Toby decided not to reply to that comment.  
  
The land grew more forested as they continued on, and it became dark even before night fell. That little globe of light appeared at Fif's shoulder, and without even a gesture he sent it further ahead of him to illuminate the path. As grumpy as Toby was, he couldn't help but be thankful for the fae's magic. Without it, they'd be stumbling around in the darkness, and would probably land themselves in quite a heap of trouble. From a few feet away, the stream continued its soft burbling but instead of being a comfort, Toby found the sound to be a constant irritance. Nonetheless, it was the best assurance he had that they were still going in the right direction.  
  
After awhile, though, he just stopped paying attention to the things around him. Trusting that Fif would continue to follow the stream, Toby turned his thoughts inward and focused merely on putting one foot ahead of the other. He'd stopped feeling hunger pains hours ago, and even his thirst had become tolerable…but he was just so _tired_. How was it possible to become so fatigued so fast? It hadn't been _that_ long since the last time he'd eaten! The pack of provisions Everlind had provided was becoming more of a burden with each step. Why was he keeping it, when he refused to consume anything inside of it? Without even another thought, Toby let the pack slip effortlessly from his shoulders. It landed with a dull thud on the ground, but he never even looked back at it.  
  
The darkness of night enveloped him soothingly, tempting him to give up for the day and take a well-needed rest. Even the sounds of insects and animals in the trees became a lullaby, and he longed to close his eyes in response. Sleep would be so wonderful, so welcome…  
  
"Fif, stop," he said at last. Several hours had passed since the last time he'd spoken, and Fif was a little startled to hear his voice again. Before the guide could even reply, Toby was already making himself comfortable on the ground. "It's night. I'm going to sleep. Wake me up in the morning." Sweet oblivion followed.  
  
The _last_ thing he expected upon waking was to find himself somewhere completely different than where he'd fallen asleep…and to be surrounded by so many alien faces. Despite his lingering fatigue, Toby leapt up immediately in alarm…only to be thrown to the ground again by the strange people surrounding him. They began talking rapidly to one another in a foreign language, but Toby was certain he heard the word 'faerie' in there somewhere. He had to quash initial outrage, thinking he was being insulted, before he realized what they must be talking about: to them, he looked like a denizen of Faerie. Hadn't Oberon said he could pass for one?  
  
_These must be gnomes,_ Toby thought, studying each face slowly. They certainly didn't look as grotesque as he thought they would. All of them were exceedingly pale, with light skin and varying shades of light blond hair. Their eyes, at least, ranged in color from brown to gray…though he noticed that a few had the strange golden eyes that Everlind had once spoke of. They truly _were_ a magnificent and unusual color, though he wasn't in the presence of mind to sit there and study them.  
  
"Where's Fif?" Toby demanded, cringing when the gnomes sent murderous glances his way. He decided that whatever had happened to the fae, the same fate was probably about to befall him as well. So then why did it seem as though they were discussing something? If they were going to kill him, wouldn't they just grab him up and have done with it?  
  
_Sarah,_ he pleaded silently. _Please, **help me!**_

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Sarah froze, spoon dropping from nerveless fingers as an expression of pure horror twisted her features. Jareth looked up in alarm, heart pounding when he looked at his wife. "Sarah, what is it?" he demanded, getting up as if to help her in some way. Sarah's hazel eyes continued to stare straight ahead, but her lips began moving…and what she had to say filled Jareth with the same fear that was shown on her face.  
  
"Toby," she said. "He's been captured. By the elves."

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"Get off me!" Toby shouted, thrashing frantically in an attempt to get the gnomes off of him. Despite their frail appearance, however, the creatures had immense strength. Toby was soon held fast, and no amount of struggling would help him escape. If anything, his struggles only served to incense the gnomes further, and who knew what they'd do if provoked. They were already proving themselves to be rather hostile. Hadn't Oberon said that the gnomes this close to Faerie's borders would be friendly?  
  
"Dirty fae," one of the gnomes spat, glaring at Toby with such hatred that he actually shivered. If looks could kill, that glare would definitely be lethal. "You have as little sense as the rest of your filthy kind."  
  
His accent was thick, and understanding his words at times was difficult. Toby _did_, however, understand the word 'fae', and realized that the gnome was addressing him as though he was fae instead of mortal. His earlier suspicions had been correct, then. But judging by the hostile manner in which he was being treated, wouldn't it be better to tell them that he _wasn't_ a denizen of Faerie? _Not if these guys are friends with the Unseelie Court,_ he reminded himself quickly. There was no way he was going to be turned into some evil faerie's plaything!  
  
"C'mon, guys," he cajoled, attempting a weak laugh. "I was just minding my own business! I didn't mean to do anything wrong! If you let me go, I promise I'll leave and never come back."  
  
"Oh, you won't be coming back," the gnome said, smiling coldly. The other gnomes chuckled. "You'll be dead."  
  
Toby squeaked fearfully. "Dead?" he repeated, his voice still embarrassingly high-pitched. His mind flashed back to a moment years ago when he'd faced death, that time at the hands of a very ugly-looking monster. These creatures weren't nearly as fearsome to look at, yet Toby felt more afraid now than he ever had when faced with the Nightmares. "I thought you guys were friendly with the faeries this close to the border!"  
  
The gnome sneered. "We are not friendly with your kind, no matter _how_ close to Faerie's borders we are," he stated. "The fae have always believed they can control us, as though their magic is somehow more powerful than ours. We will not be ruled by them any longer!"  
  
"But…King Oberon never mentioned any problems with gnomes before…"  
  
"Pah! Gnomes are creatures lacking in any real intelligence. They willingly follow anyone who proves himself to be more powerful and more intelligent than they."  
  
Here, Toby quirked a brow, his face registering bewilderment. Had he heard the gnome's words correctly? The accent, strangely, was becoming easier to understand, but still…why would anyone put down his own race? Unless they really _were_ that stupid, but Toby couldn't imagine anyone being silly enough to make fun of themselves. "You guys _are_ gnomes though, aren't you?" he asked hesitantly.  
  
A roar of anger erupted from all those present, and the air crackled with power. Suddenly, such pain coursed through Toby's entire being that he thought he was being torn apart. Every muscle contracted, yet he was being held fast and couldn't so much as curl up into a ball. His lungs worked for air that couldn't pass through constricted passages, and his heart beat hard and fast in his chest. The creatures hovering above him were fierce and terrible, but he could barely see them through pain-clouded eyes. Throwing back his head, Toby howled in pure, excruciating pain. As he fell gratefully into unconsciousness, he was vaguely aware that his heart had stopped beating…

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"I can't sense him anymore." Sarah's voice was filled with sudden panic. She turned to her husband, hazel eyes wide and frightened. "Jareth, I can't sense my brother anymore. Even when I haven't always known where he was, I've at least felt something there. But it's gone. I think the elves…I think they…"  
  
Jareth placed a hand over Sarah's mouth, forbidding her to say what they were both thinking. His angular face was set in a firm expression, but his eyes were gentle. "The magic of the elves has always interfered with that of the fae," he told her softly, hoping to calm her. "They will not have harmed Toby so quickly. I believe they will first attempt to use him as a bargaining tool against Oberon."  
  
"But he's not from Faerie!" Sarah protested, pulling Jareth's hand away from her mouth. "No matter how desperate they are, they'd never think of using a mortal to bargain with the king of the fae! They'd know Oberon wouldn't care!"  
  
"They may not know he's mortal," the Goblin King pointed out. "We must hope for the best until we find out otherwise. However, I have had enough of this foolish game. It is time I had a talk with Oberon."  
  
"I'm coming with you," Sarah announced, standing up to follow her husband. Jareth opened his mouth as though to object, but after looking at her face he sighed and nodded. While he spoke with Oberon, perhaps she would have luck with Titania…or Puck. Sarah had always seemed better able to deal with the mischievous fae than Jareth had. Maybe she fed his ego more than anyone else he'd ever met; she'd certainly made enough of a commotion the first time they were introduced, prattling on about some play she'd read in school. At that moment, Puck's face had lit up, and Jareth still swore to this day that the little man's chest had puffed up proudly. He'd been even more insufferable since then.  
  
Faerie etiquette dictated that Jareth and Sarah travel by conventional means to visit Oberon. Though it wasn't unusual for someone to suddenly appear in your living quarters, for formal matters such as these one was expected to ride by horse…with a full retinue of servants and nobles, of course. Oberon was most likely expecting the rulers of the Underground to take this route, and therefore knew that by the time they reached his castle, Toby would be too far gone to call back. Jareth was never the sort to placidly adhere to Faerie's rules at the best of times, and today he was even less inclined to do so. Oberon was, by and large, a pompous bastard. It would do him good to have unexpected visitors suddenly appear on his doorstep.  
  
"Be ready in an hour, my queen," Jareth said, his tone suddenly all formality. Sarah, accustomed by now to her husband's mercurial temperament, merely nodded.  
  
"Who do you want to come with us?"  
  
"Bring a handmaiden if you require one, but otherwise tell no one. We are not taking the time to bring a parade with us." There was a slight tone of disgust in his voice for such Faerie rituals. Though Sarah had enjoyed the Rade that passed through the Underground last year, Jareth thought the whole idea silly. Thus, another reason why they'd be transporting themselves directly to Oberon's castle, as opposed to parading themselves about beforehand.  
  
A relieved look passed over Sarah's face at her husband's announcement. It was times like these that she was grateful she wasn't married to someone who insisted on following rules and etiquette. Well, for the most part, anyway. Like any other Fae, Jareth had an unpredictable temperament, and could be formal or rebellious by turns. This time, thankfully, he'd decided to be rebellious. A Rade would have taken far too much time, and Sarah feared right now that time was something of which they'd just run out. _Why_ had they taken this long to begin with? They should have been banging on Oberon's door long before this point!  
  
"I don't need anything," Sarah stated flatly. "As far as I'm concerned, we can leave this instant. But I'll wait while you do what needs to be done here in the castle."  
  
Despite the somberness of the situation, Jareth smiled softly at his wife. No matter what happened, he could always count on her fire, and that encouraged him. He said nothing in return, merely nodded and hastened out of the room. The sooner he took care of castle affairs, the sooner they could leave and settle other matters. Oberon would rue the day he crossed the king and queen of the Underground.

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**Notes:** I know, it's been forever since I've updated this thing! I've run into a bit of a stumbling block, unfortunately...and I have this fear that since the story is about Toby, people aren't quite as interested in it as they would if it was about Sarah and Jareth, hehe! Understandable, but not the best motivation for storywriting! So, as much as I tend to hate this statement, if you like what you're reading, please don't hesitate to review! I'm not fishing for compliments, I just want to make sure there are actually people reading this thing, hehehe :P 


	8. He who does not learn from history

**Chapter Eight  
  
**The absence of pain felt so wonderful. Toby allowed himself to float aimlessly, happy to be simply safe and warm. What he had gone through just moments before had been the most excruciating pain he'd ever experienced. It was almost as if he'd been thrown against power lines, and yet somehow it was different. The power had coursed through his body in a way he was sure electricity never could. Oberon had certainly kept silent about this strange power the gnomes had, but Toby smiled smugly to himself; he had managed to escape. Somehow he'd escaped the magic, and still lived.  
  
It was then that he finally allowed his senses to expand outward, and he realized that he was no longer with the gnomes. In fact, he didn't know _where_ he was. Had he been somehow thrown into the night sky? All around him was blackness, but this was a different black from any he'd ever seen at night. Usually, the sky held at least _some_ light, and it was never purely black; there were always streaks of deep purple or blue. Other stars twinkled all around Toby, but despite their brightness they gave no auras of light. It was as though the blackness was absorbing them.  
  
The darkness was so complete, in fact, that when Toby looked down he couldn't even see his body. There seemed to be a white glow somewhere nearby, though…it almost seemed to be around his eyes. Toby turned and hurried to the nearest star, but it shed no light on him. That glow was still there, though, almost as if he was wearing glasses rimmed in white light. Turning around showed nothing behind him, but by that point he was realizing that the stars weren't bright enough to cause that glow anyway. Not unless he could somehow…get inside one…Finally, it began to dawn on him what was happening.  
  
He wasn't just swimming in a sea of stars. He _was_ one.  
  
Vaguely, Toby remembered losing consciousness, and he'd just barely felt his heart stop beating before that happened. Had he really died, after all? This wasn't exactly his idea of heaven…and there was no fire, so it couldn't be hell, either. But then, he hadn't been in his own world when he died, he'd been in Faerie. Did that mean he went to _their_ spirit worlds when he died? And if so, was he in a good place or a bad place?  
  
He noted then that his emotions were muted, less intense than they'd been when he was alive. While he could sense the fear welling up inside him, it was almost as though the emotion was just a memory, like he was calling up a time when he'd been afraid and now only felt it distantly. Such a realization caused more worry to burgeon within him. As a human, feeling strong emotions was something that came as naturally as breathing. To have this blanket of calm over him, ironically, was doing nothing to calm him. And yet his fear couldn't break through; it just kept building behind that barrier, pressing against it as though it might break through at any moment.  
  
The relative lack of emotion allowed his mind to remain clear, at least, and he was able to piece things together more logically. It made sense that if he was a star, then these other stars were probably also creatures. Toby zipped and bobbed around various bright spheres, studying them for any sign of life. Could any of them speak? Could _he?_ If he was a star, that meant he had no mouth…but he could swear he could still feel his limbs, so maybe his mouth was still there somehow. He tried to say something.  
  
"Toby, what are you doing here?"  
  
Oh, geez. He sounded like a girl! This _had_ to be hell! A wave of misery rolled through him, but was quickly stopped by that strange blanket of calm. He spun around, intending to zip off to his own pocket of blackness to mope, and almost smacked into another globe of light. He was pretty sure that star hadn't been there just moments ago. Curious, Toby began to hover around it, wondering if it was any different than the others he'd studied. He soon got the distinct feeling that the ball was following him as he spun around it. Finally, that feminine voice broke through the silence again, and he was relieved to discover the voice didn't belong to him.  
  
"Would you stop that? You're making me dizzy." Pearly, rainbow colors shot through the globe of light as the voice spoke, which was the only sign that it _was_ speaking. Toby paused and tested his voice again.  
  
"Who're you? And where _am_ I? How do you know me?"  
  
"I am called Ti'Shalai na…"  
  
"Ti!" Toby cried out joyously. The star before him rippled in rainbows as she laughed.  
  
"Aye, 'tis I," she agreed. "So I would hope that answers two of your questions. As for where you are…'tis most unusual for you to be here at all, at least conscious as you are. How did you get here?"  
  
"I…don't know," Toby drawled. "I was surrounded by gnomes, and I remember they did something to me and…I think I might have died."  
  
There was a soft sound, almost like a sigh. "Aye, that would be one reason for your being in this place. But gnomes? You could not possibly have made it to Og'Mael so soon! What did these gnomes look like?"  
  
Being in this place was making Toby's memories fade. Whereas he could remember things only vaguely before, now the memories were becoming more and more distant. He had to struggle to bring anything back. "They were all blond, and--"  
  
"Say no more," Ti interrupted. "'Twas no gnome you saw; gnomes have no hair. Toby, you foolish human, you stumbled right into Elvish lands!"  
  
A jolt of surprise briefly caused the blanket of calm to waver threateningly. "Elves?" he repeated, dumbfounded. "But Fif said…"  
  
"Fif?" Suddenly, Ti's voice was dangerously low. "What did Fif have to do with this?"  
  
"He found me when I was wandering one night. He promised to help me find Og'Mael. Do you know him?"  
  
"Aye, I know him, the sly beast! Did Puck not teach you to be wary of creatures in Faerie?"  
  
"Well yeah, and I _didn't_ trust him! Not at first, anyway. I kept that compass stone Everlind gave me, and I used it the entire time…but then I lost it. And I didn't know where to go, but Fif said to just keep following the stream and it'd take us to Og'Mael." At this news, the ball of light that was Ti crackled with yellow light. Toby took it to be a sign of her displeasure, though he wasn't quite sure who it was directed at. He'd done something wrong, that much was obvious, but what exactly had happened? Ti loomed closer to him, but somehow the light never increased.  
  
"The stream of which you speak runs east only a short while," she explained slowly, as though to a child. Indignance rumbled quietly beneath Toby's calm. "After that, it gradually curves southeast. Into the kingdom of the elves. The elves and those of the fae--"  
  
"Don't get along," Toby mumbled. "Someone told me that already."  
  
Ti hissed, and her star seemed to blur momentarily around the edges. "'Don't get along?'" she repeated. "The elves _despise_ those with fae blood, and from everything I remember about you, your features could pass unbelievably well for one of our blood!"  
  
"Why do they hate the fae?" Toby snapped, realizing belatedly that his emotions had temporarily broken through. "I don't know anything about your world! All I know are the stories Sarah told me when I was a baby, and I thought it was some kinda happy land, not…this!"  
  
There was silence for a short while, during which time Ti's star rotated slowly, as though she was in thought. Finally, the star stopped spinning and her voice rang in the air…or maybe it was only in his mind that her voice spoke. They had no mouths, after all. "Well, 'tis apparent you have nowhere to go, and in this place time has no meaning, so I believe what's best for you is to learn our history. Maybe then, you'll have an appreciation for the danger in which you put yourself." Toby refrained from making a sarcastic reply.  
  


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_The history of Faerie begins, surprisingly, with the elves, for they were here first. Elves have always possessed a strong command over Earth magic, and they used it to care for the trees and flowers around them. Their lives were firmly intertwined with the forests and the mountains in which they made their homes, and in return for the stone and wood they used to make their dwellings, they felt they owed a debt back to the land, which they repaid by using their magic. In this way, a balance was kept.  
  
The elves believe strongly in keeping a natural balance. If trees are felled to create dwellings, then new trees are planted and nurtured. The killing of animals for food is considered a fair exchange, for when the elves die, their bodies provide food for the earth, which in turn feeds the herbivores and then feeds the carnivores. This balance is more than simply a way of life; it __is_ life. A pull too strongly in one direction or the other, and it is believed that only ruin can result.  
  
An interruption to the balance occurred many thousands of years ago. Without explanation, elves began to have offspring whose magic lay in realms other than that of Earth. These offspring could call fire from nothing, manipulate air in ways never before seen, and even call back spirits. The elves were terrified, having never witnessed such strange magics, and they ordered all such creatures killed lest the balance be ruined. But these births were occurring more often, just as unexplainably as they'd begun, and it eventually became apparent that to kill them all would be to significantly reduce the Elvish population.  
  
So, these new elves, now called faeries--'born of fire and air'--were allowed to live. From the time of birth until their adulthood, they were taught respect for nature and keeping the balance. Very few of this new breed had more than a small command of Earth magic, and so their repayment to the land was given more through sheer physical labor. The magic that so aided the elves in their work was not available for the fae, who could not bring roots and rocks to move, or call upon the aid of the animals. This was the first divide between the two races.  
  
The second divide happened not long after, by our world's perception of time. By mortal world standards, it took centuries. A group of fae, upset and angered at having to exhaust themselves daily with such mundane tasks, decided to leave their ancestral home for the secluded land farther north. This land became known as Faerie, and its inhabitants used their magic for things never permitted by the elves. They created elaborate homes for themselves, tearing apart forests and even the mountainsides farther north to do so. No balance was kept here; trees were never planted to replace those taken, mountains were disfigured from the fighting that broke out between territorial clans, and animals were being hunted not only for food but also for sport.  
  
Arrogance is an insidious thing, growing so gradually that it's almost impossible to measure. These fae, who'd been gripped by it from the moment they decided to leave their homeland, soon became overcome by it. They believed their powers to be far superior to any other creature, and as such believed they should be in control of all. By now, through breeding with their own race, several different creatures had been created--all of them fae, but with different features and bone structures. Some were tiny, and were called sprites; others grew to almost gigantic proportions and took up residence deep within the mountains. Yet others were almost vampirical in nature, and these were the first to discover the veil that separates our world from the realm of mortals.  
  
Those were dark days for the mortals, for once one breed of fae discovered the sport in taking humans, who had no magic at all, soon many others joined in the amusement. Nightly raids were a common occurrence for those living isolated in the country, but even daylight posed dangers, especially for children. Many creatures delighted in kidnapping and murdering small children, so much so that they quickly found themselves the subject of bedtime stories. Now, of course, these stories are thought of as a parent's crafty way of keeping children in line, but back then the fear was very real.  
  
Once this new game lost most of its appeal, the fae turned greedy eyes toward the verdant lands of their ancestors. Faerie had almost become a complete wasteland, and resources were low. What they didn't know, however, was that the elves and those fae still living in Elvish lands had been doing some plotting of their own. Before the creatures of Faerie could so much as assemble a force to attack, they themselves were attacked. This is known as the first Elvish rebellion, and Faerie was quickly reminded of the power that elves possessed. Though never before used for destruction, Earth magic could just as easily be used to rip the earth apart as it could be used to heal. And it could do the same damage to someone that Fire and Air could, but with the difference that it worked from the inside rather than externally. Blood was made to boil, hearts to cease beating, and skin to melt off the bones. This magic had no opponent, and because of this the elves ripped through hundreds of thousands of fae. They took no joy in this killing; in their eyes, they were merely restoring balance to the earth.  
  
Those fae that remained retreated as far as possible, some of them east, beyond the lands that are now called Og'Mael; and others of them west, where the magic of the Underground changed their forms to something ugly but relatively harmless: goblins. There were so few survivors that at first, the elves had no knowledge of their existence. The fae who had sided with the elves made the decision to remain in Faerie, to repair the extensive damage that had been wrought by their careless brethren. There was a peaceful coexistence between the two races for many years, as each worked to keep balance with the land on which they lived. Different races of fae once again began to appear, and Faerie flourished with such a variety of creatures tending to her needs. But then some faeries began mating with elves, and this is where we come to the next great mutation: the gnomes.  
  
Gnomish babies are skinny, wrinkled, sickly looking creatures, and they don't appear much better as adults. Their skin has a bluish cast to it, as though their veins are all too close to the surface of their skin, and their eyes are murky gray. They're completely hairless, their teeth are gapped and pointed, and with few exceptions their intelligence is very low. They look nothing like the so-called gnomes you humans sometimes place in front of your homes; those are, in fact, a different branch of the faerie race. The elves and fae at first came to the same decision of their Elvish ancestors when the race of faeries first began: kill these distasteful mutations. However, from what they could tell, the creatures had little or no magic of their own, and as such were no threat to the balance…which meant that killing them _would_ affect the balance.  
  
Elves, despite their fanatical obsession with balance, do not like to look upon that which is ugly. To walk into Elvish lands is to walk into a world of unparalleled beauty, for they do not allow ugliness to come near them. And so they exiled the gnomes to the same place that they sent all ugly things: Og'Mael. No one could understand how such a mutation occurred, but it was suspected that the mingling of Earth magic with Fire, Air, and Spirit was to blame. Fae and elf partnerings gradually ceased, but another problem soon arose.  
  
The fae who descended directly from elves were being outnumbered by their mutated offspring, who never took the form of their parents but were always sprites, imps, sirens, or some other form of creature. By that time, some fae had discovered a way of reaching the mortal world, just as their brethren had, and as they looked so similar to humans, some--mostly the women--took humans as their mates. The offspring of these pairings exactly resembled their fae parent, and almost always possessed the same magic. When this happened over and over without exception, it was soon realized that fae had to mate with humans in order to keep their bloodlines strong. This is one of the reasons why our kind so frequently travel to the mortal world. Very rarely, the fae and human will fall in love, but neither creature can live for long in the other's world. Those pairings always end in heartache, and are of course heavily discouraged.  
  
Living away from the elves meant that over time, the fae began to forget the lessons they'd been taught. They began using their magics to control and manipulate, but in their fear of Earth magic, an item of power was created: the Imperial Diadem. Those few faeries who had even a small command over Earth magic helped to create it, and in the end it turned into a talisman to negate the terrible effects Elvish magic could cause. With this powerful object, they took over their ancestral lands and named them part of Faerie. The elves were now considered another form of faerie, instead of the other way around, and were thought of as something less intelligent. They were never mistreated, but merely thought of as a less important species that happened to live to the southeast.  
  
Only recently have the elves fought back, and taken their lands back as well. They consider themselves completely severed now from the race that they bore so many centuries ago, and any fae who enter their lands is immediately killed so as to give no opportunity to once again interrupt the balance. How Faerie will finally react to this is up to the discretion of Oberon and Titania, though as of now they are at a standstill without the aid of the Imperial Diadem. Meanwhile, the small group of fae who'd long ago retreated east of Og'Mael, now known as the Unseelie Court, seeks to use such a weakness to their advantage, to take back the land they once owned. Faerie's only possible ally in these times is the Underground, a vast area to the west. The gnomes, who are weak-minded and will follow anyone with power, have more or less sided with the Unseelie Court, a consequence of having cast them out of both Elvish and fae lands.  
  
It would seem the elves had been correct in fearing what would happen should faeries be permitted to live past birth; the balance seems to be irreparably skewed.  
  


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"So what about humans?" Toby inquired, once Ti had finished her story. "We didn't do anything to the elves! We were just mindin' our own business when the faeries started coming over and killing us and…_doing it_ with us!"  
  
"If the elves had known you were mortal, I assume they would have simply cast you out of their lands," Ti replied. There was an underlying hint of confusion in her voice. "You have no magic, and so could do nothing to upset their balance, therefore they couldn't kill you. You do _look_ fae, however--at least, in corporeal form--and 'tis rumored that small groups of faeries have tried to invade Elvish lands, so perhaps they simply thought you to be a part of those groups."  
  
"Well then…if I'm dead, why are _you_ here?"  
  
"'Tis the sort of question that has had me puzzled since I first discovered you," Ti admitted. "This is a world between worlds, I suppose one could say. These bits of light you see around you are dreams. Every so often, one will blink out, which means the dreamer has come awake. 'Tis possible to enter this realm while conscious, as I have, but it requires strong command of Spirit magic. If I so desired, I could manipulate a person through their dreams."  
  
"Is that what you're doing here?"  
  
"No, I merely wished to find somebody." Suddenly, the fae sounded mysterious, hiding something she obviously didn't want Toby to know.  
  
"So how can I be here if I'm dead? Is this where people come after they die?"  
  
"No, no, of course not. To hold one in this world requires an even greater command of Spirit than I possess. Someone very powerful must have connected to you during your travels, Toby. It is their power that holds you here."  
  
Toby had no idea who could have enough power to hold him between worlds, but he didn't think it could be Sarah. She'd gotten some kind of funky powers from Jareth, but she was still mostly human. Jareth could have possibly done it--Toby had no idea what sorts of powers the Goblin King had--but he doubted it. The only person he could think of who would have known what kind of danger he was in, and wanted to help him, was Fif. Hadn't the fae vowed he'd keep Toby safe? When Toby voiced his conclusion, Ti gave a bark of humorless laughter.  
  
"If you ever find yourself in the company of that creature again, destroy him before he has a chance to destroy you," she said coldly. "'Tis by his design that you find yourself where you are, aye, but only where you find your body, not your spirit. Fif Oran would never benignly help another; he is swiftly on his way to joining the Unseelie Court."  
  
This was the biggest shock Toby had received yet, big enough that the blanket of calm covering his emotions was suddenly rent. Anger flooded through, and with it came a warmth he hadn't felt since arriving in this strange world between worlds. He felt alive again, but even as he felt that life flow through him, his vision began to cloud and darken. A thin streamer of light shot out from Ti's star and clung to him, and he could hear her voice in his head telling him to hide when he came back to his body, that she would find him and help him escape Elvish lands. He was about to ask how he could trust her, when it seemed as though he couldn't trust anybody…but then abruptly her connection to him was severed and he was thrown into blackness.  
  
What seemed like only moments later, Toby opened his eyes. He was lying on hard ground, and his body felt cold and ill-used. How long he'd been outside his body, he didn't know, but it seemed as though he was in the same place he'd been when he first awakened to see the elves surrounding him. Once his muscles obeyed direction again, he sat up and peered into the darkness. He was alone, or so it seemed. Trees surrounded him, and the sweet smell of flowers floated on the air. Somewhere, an owl hooted quietly, and beyond that…the sound of flowing water.  
  
Unable to believe his luck, Toby scrambled to his feet. Just as quickly, he fell back to his knees. His muscles were weak, both from what had just happened to him and from the lack of food and water. They felt like jelly, unable to withstand any pressure put on them. Even from that small amount of exertion, he could feel his calf muscles trembling. But he couldn't just stay where he was; glancing over his shoulder, he could see light shining from a nearby Elvish dwelling. Once morning arrived, the elves would find him still alive and try to kill him all over again. From what he'd already experienced, dying at the hands of the elves was something he didn't want to experience a second time.  
  
Somehow, he managed to crawl to the stream's edge. By the time he'd finally reached the grassy bank, he'd practically been pushing himself on his stomach. His arms and legs were shaking violently from use, and his throat was parched. Without thinking, he let his head fall into the water and drank deeply, only lifting his face long enough to take a gasping breath before drinking more. After he'd had his fill, Toby rolled onto his back and stared up at the dark canopy of leaves overhead. If there were stars out, he couldn't see them, and at that moment he didn't care. Heaving a deep sigh, he let his eyes drift closed as he fell asleep.  
  
A noise awoke him sometime later. Though he wasn't sure how long he'd been sleeping, the sky was still dark, so he couldn't have been there too long. The respite had been just enough to clear his senses, though, and whatever the noise that had awoken him, he knew he didn't want to stick around to see what--or who--had made it. Soundlessly, he slipped into the stream and allowed its strong current to carry him away from his hiding spot…and hopefully away from Elvish territory.  
  
Ti's admonishment came back to him as he navigated his way through the rockier portions of the stream--which had now turned into something of a narrow river, with its darker water and rushing current. _Hide yourself well until I can find you,_ she had told him, _for find you I will, and see you safely back to Faerie._ Toby wanted to believe her, as she'd done nothing thus far to harm him, but after Fif's betrayal, it was hard to trust anyone. If he was going to make it back to safe ground, he would have to do it on his own. And he would march straight back to Oberon and tell him to find the Imperial Diadem himself, because _this_ mortal wasn't going to get caught up in any more of his games!  
  
When he felt he'd traveled far enough, Toby managed to swim to the opposite bank and climb out of the water. Once again completely exhausted, he crawled beneath a large rock outcropping and quickly fell asleep.  
  


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"I'm terribly sorry, Your Highness, but you simply cannot see King Oberon without--" Jareth cut off the servant's speech with an impatient kick. As they passed by, Sarah looked back at the man, who was now hunched over in pain, and couldn't help a soft giggle.  
  
"Jareth, these aren't your goblins," she reminded, patting the arm through which hers was linked. A hint of a smile twitched at his lips.  
  
"Would you give me such a reproach if it had been Oberon I'd just kicked?"  
  
"No," she responded vehemently, "I would have added several of my own." Jareth chuckled and gave her hand a squeeze just before barging into the castle's Great Hall.  
  
Apparently, Faerie's royalty had decided that some merrymaking was in order; the room was filled with fae nobles eating, drinking, and talking loudly. Laughter rang throughout the room, but when the two large doors leading into the hall slammed against stone, all noise abruptly cut off. As all faces turned toward the king and queen of the Underground, Jareth made sure they were aware of his anger. He could feel Sarah bristling beside him, and taking a brief glance at her face, nearly smiled with pride at how dark her expression had become. No man, fae or otherwise, could stand tall under that gaze.  
  
After several moments, quiet murmurings began to ripple through the assembled nobles. Fearful glances flicked between the two kings and queens, as though expecting sparks to fly at any moment. Jareth was agonizingly slow in turning his raptor's gaze to Faerie's monarchs, but by the time he had, the rest of the room was practically cowering in fear of what he might do. Neither Oberon nor Titania seemed affected by this unwelcome interruption to their festivities, though Titania had a look of mild surprise in her large brown eyes. Sarah's hand went to the pendant around her neck, and Jareth knew she was about to make a wish…probably one to send Oberon to the underworld, if he knew his wife. He placed a cautionary hand over hers, then looked back up to the front of the room.  
  
"Ah, Jareth," Oberon greeted, his voice rich and deep. He smiled at Sarah, who made no effort to return the pleasantries. "Queen Sarah, I was beginning to wonder when you'd pay us a visit. So fortunate you decided to arrive now, when the festivities have only just begun."  
  
"We are not here to join in on your little party," Jareth sneered. Oberon nodded slowly.  
  
"I thought as much. I suppose you're here to discuss your nephew, then."  
  
"You would be correct."  
  
"Then you also know that young Toby was a trespasser, and therefore should have been condemned to death, had I not shown him kindness."  
  
"_'Kindness?'_" Sarah snapped, taking a step forward. Jareth used the arm still linked with his to gently pull her back. The other fae assembled in the room now leaned forward eagerly, waiting to see who would strike first. "Lest you forget, Oberon, the Underground is your only ally against the forces that would see your kind destroyed. It's not such a wise idea to make enemies of us."  
  
"But you see, your brother _is_ our ally, Queen Sarah," Oberon replied smoothly. "Even now, he is aiding us in retrieving the Imperial Diadem."  
  
"He's been taken by the elves!" Jareth roared. The assemblage flinched back from his ire. Oberon, however, seemed pleased by this news. Too pleased.  
  
"Truly? Then he has helped us more than any of us could have ever dreamed. With a mortal in their hands, the advantage is now in my hands." Dark brows lowered over his eyes as his smile widened. "Once they realize their mistake in killing a mortal, their horror at upsetting the balance will put the elves right into my hands."  
  


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_"Toby, wake up!"_  
  
The voice was a harsh, fearful whisper in his ear. Despite his lingering fatigue, Toby woke up immediately and scrambled to sit up. After hitting his head painfully on the rock above him, he turned bleary eyes to the source of the voice. A pair of wide violet eyes met his gaze. "Everlind!" he exclaimed, smiling happily at seeing his old friend. The smile quickly vanished when he realized how far from the castle she must have come to find him. "What're you doing here?"  
  
"Please, Toby, 'tis no time for explanations," she murmured, her eyes flicking around nervously. Her dress, with its many pockets, was torn and dirty; and her hair, which had been so neatly upswept the last time he'd seen her, was now tangled and windblown. Bits of leaves and even small twigs were stuck in the ebon strands. "We must leave this place now!" She reached out to take his hand, but he scuttled as far away from her as the rock would allow.  
  
"D'you know what I've been through since I left that castle?" he asked. "Some guy named Fif led me right here into Elvish lands, and they _killed_ me!"  
  
"I know," she replied, her eyes shifting to the ground. "'Twas I who held you in the spirit world until you found the way back to your body."  
  
"You…! But Ti said…"  
  
"Aye, 'tis a vast amount of Spirit magic required to do such a thing as I did," she agreed. Her eyes suddenly became watery. "Oh, Toby, the things you will hear about me upon our return will certainly bring you to hate me! I am not proud of what I was forced to do, but please know that fear was the reason I did it! Ryo can be so cruel…" Wiping a nose crudely on her sleeve, she sniffled once and composed herself. "There is no time for explanations. Come, Toby, we _must_ leave."  
  
"Why should I believe you? I haven't been able to believe anyone else!"  
  
"Because _I_ will tell you the truth. And right now, the truth is that we are in Og'Mael and the Unseelie Court's gnomes have found us."  
  
That was reason enough for Toby. Following Everlind from beneath the outcropping, Toby scrambled to his feet and ran as though Death itself was on his heels. And, for all he knew, it was.  
  


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**Notes:** HUGE thanks go to Clever Lass (she really _is_ clever! heehee) for her review. That was the best kind of review I could have gotten; I really appreciated those suggestions! As I looked back over the notes I'd written for certain bits of this fanfic, I discovered that I _had_ written a reminder to write about the history of the elves and such, but without that reminder, I don't think I ever would have written anything about it! I hope this chapter answered some background questions...LOL, I know I completely rewrote the history of the fae! But hey, that's what's so beautiful about fiction, right? I apologize--again--for how long it took me to get this chapter cranked out, but I'm still suffering from severe writer's block. :P Things are beginning to tumble toward the conclusion, though! :) 


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